Timberline Air Service, Inc. v. BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON, INC.

At issue is whether a manufacturer who complies with mandatory government specifications for design of a military helicopter later converted to civilian use has an absolute defense to a postmanufacture products liability failure-to-warn claim under either RCW 7.72.050(2) or the federal common law government contractor’s defense. We conclude neither the statute nor the common law defense applies, and accordingly reverse the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of the manufacturer.

For purposes of this appeal, the manufacturer, Respondent Bell Helicopter-Textron, Inc. (Bell),…