Smith v. Piper Aircraft Corp.

MURPHY, Chief Judge.

In this diversity action plaintiff of Alabama seeks damages under a Georgia statute from defendant manufacturer, a Pennsylvania corporation, for the wrongful death of her husband in an airplane crash in Georgia. The airplane, a Piper Pacer PA manufactured by defendant in this district, was purchased by Truehart E. Smith as president of Smith Way, Inc., from the Southern Airways Co., a duly licensed distributor of defendant’s products in Birmingham, Alabama. Within ten days thereafter, with Smith as pilot accompanied by two invited guests— Jones and Fowler — the plane while…