Boeing, Bell Textron Avoid State-Law Case Over V-22 Osprey Crash

Boeing Co., Bell Textron Inc., and Universal Stainless & Alloy Products Inc. escaped state-law product defect claims from the estates of US service members who died in a V-22 Osprey crash after a federal judge held they were preempted.

Judge John F. Murphy of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania dismissed the claims under “the more friendly purview” of Pennsylvania law. But in his ruling posted to the docket Wednesday, he allowed the eight estates to refile their lawsuit under the federal Death on the High Seas Act, which he said preempts state ...