[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1458 Reported in House (RH)]
Union Calendar No. 311
103d CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1458
[Report No. 103-525, Parts I and II]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to establish time limitations
on certain civil actions against aircraft manufacturers, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
June 24, 1994
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Union Calendar No. 311
103d CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1458
[Report No. 103-525, Parts I and II]
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 18, 1994
Referred jointly to the Committees on the Judiciary and Public Works
and Transportation
May 24, 1994
Reported from the Committee on Public Works and Transportation
June 24, 1994
Reported from the Committee on the Judiciary with an amendment,
committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the
Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To amend the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 to establish time limitations
on certain civil actions against aircraft manufacturers, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
-S-E-C-T-I-O-N -1-. -S-H-O-R-T -T-I-T-L-E-.
-T-h-i-s -A-c-t -m-a-y -b-e -c-i-t-e-d -a-s -t-h-e
-`-`-G-e-n-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -R-e-v-i-t-a-l-i-z-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t
-o-f -1-9-9-4-'-'-.
-S-E-C-. -2-. -T-I-M-E -L-I-M-I-T-A-T-I-O-N -O-N -C-I-V-I-L
-A-C-T-I-O-N-S -A-G-A-I-N-S-T -A-I-R-C-R-A-F-T
-M-A-N-U-F-A-C-T-U-R-E-R-S-.
-T-i-t-l-e -X-I -o-f -t-h-e -F-e-d-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t
-o-f -1-9-5-8 -(-4-9 -U-.-S-.-C-. -A-p-p-. -1-5-1-0---1-5-1-8-) -i-s
-a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y -a-d-d-i-n-g -a-t -t-h-e -e-n-d -t-h-e
-f-o-l-l-o-w-i-n-g -n-e-w -s-e-c-t-i-o-n-:
-`-`-S-E-C-. -1-1-1-9-. -T-I-M-E -L-I-M-I-T-A-T-I-O-N -O-N -C-I-V-I-L
-A-C-T-I-O-N-S -A-G-A-I-N-S-T -A-I-R-C-R-A-F-T
-M-A-N-U-F-A-C-T-U-R-E-R-S-.
-`-`-(-a-) -I-n -G-e-n-e-r-a-l-.----E-x-c-e-p-t -a-s
-p-r-o-v-i-d-e-d -i-n -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-b-) -o-f -t-h-i-s
-s-e-c-t-i-o-n-, -n-o -c-i-v-i-l -a-c-t-i-o-n -f-o-r -d-a-m-a-g-e-s
-f-o-r -d-e-a-t-h -o-r -i-n-j-u-r-y -t-o -p-e-r-s-o-n-s -o-r
-d-a-m-a-g-e -t-o -p-r-o-p-e-r-t-y -a-r-i-s-i-n-g -o-u-t -o-f -a-n
-a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t -i-n-v-o-l-v-i-n-g -a -g-e-n-e-r-a-l -a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -m-a-y -b-e -b-r-o-u-g-h-t -a-g-a-i-n-s-t -t-h-e
-m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -t-h-e
-m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -o-f -a-n-y -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t-,
-s-y-s-t-e-m-, -s-u-b-a-s-s-e-m-b-l-y-, -o-r -o-t-h-e-r -p-a-r-t -o-f
-t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-, -i-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t
-o-c-c-u-r-r-e-d---
-`-`-(-1-) -m-o-r-e -t-h-a-n -1-8 -y-e-a-r-s -a-f-t-e-r---
-`-`-(-A-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -d-e-l-i-v-e-r-y
-o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -t-o -i-t-s -f-i-r-s-t
-p-u-r-c-h-a-s-e-r -o-r -l-e-s-s-e-e-, -i-f
-d-e-l-i-v-e-r-e-d -d-i-r-e-c-t-l-y -f-r-o-m -t-h-e
-m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r-; -o-r
-`-`-(-B-) -t-h-e -d-a-t-e -o-f -f-i-r-s-t
-d-e-l-i-v-e-r-y -o-f -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -t-o -a
-p-e-r-s-o-n -e-n-g-a-g-e-d -i-n -t-h-e
-b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s -o-f -s-e-l-l-i-n-g -o-r
-l-e-a-s-i-n-g -s-u-c-h -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-; -o-r
-`-`-(-2-) -w-i-t-h -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o -a-n-y
-c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t-, -s-y-s-t-e-m-, -s-u-b-a-s-s-e-m-b-l-y-,
-o-r -o-t-h-e-r -p-a-r-t -w-h-i-c-h -r-e-p-l-a-c-e-d
-a-n-o-t-h-e-r -p-r-o-d-u-c-t -o-r-i-g-i-n-a-l-l-y -i-n-, -o-r
-w-h-i-c-h -w-a-s -a-d-d-e-d -t-o-, -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-,
-a-n-d -w-h-i-c-h -i-s -a-l-l-e-g-e-d -t-o -h-a-v-e
-c-a-u-s-e-d -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t-'-s -d-a-m-a-g-e-s-,
-m-o-r-e -t-h-a-n -1-8 -y-e-a-r-s -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e -d-a-t-e
-o-f -t-h-e -r-e-p-l-a-c-e-m-e-n-t -o-r -a-d-d-i-t-i-o-n-.
-`-`-(-b-) -E-x-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-s-.---S-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -o-f
-t-h-i-s -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -d-o-e-s -n-o-t -a-p-p-l-y---
-`-`-(-1-) -i-f -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t -p-l-e-a-d-s
-w-i-t-h -s-p-e-c-i-f-i-c-i-t-y -t-h-e -f-a-c-t-s
-n-e-c-e-s-s-a-r-y -t-o -p-r-o-v-e-, -a-n-d -p-r-o-v-e-s -b-y
-c-l-e-a-r -a-n-d -c-o-n-v-i-n-c-i-n-g -e-v-i-d-e-n-c-e
-t-h-a-t -t-h-e -m-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r -w-i-t-h
-r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o -c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-i-o-n -o-r
-o-b-l-i-g-a-t-i-o-n-s -w-i-t-h -r-e-s-p-e-c-t -t-o
-c-o-n-t-i-n-u-i-n-g -a-i-r-w-o-r-t-h-i-n-e-s-s -o-f -a-n
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t
-k-n-o-w-i-n-g-l-y -m-i-s-r-e-p-r-e-s-e-n-t-e-d -t-o -t-h-e
-F-A-A-, -o-r -c-o-n-c-e-a-l-e-d -o-r -w-i-t-h-h-e-l-d -f-r-o-m
-t-h-e -F-A-A-, -r-e-q-u-i-r-e-d -i-n-f-o-r-m-a-t-i-o-n
-t-h-a-t -i-s -m-a-t-e-r-i-a-l -a-n-d -r-e-l-e-v-a-n-t -t-o
-t-h-e -p-e-r-f-o-r-m-a-n-c-e -o-r -t-h-e
-m-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e -o-r -o-p-e-r-a-t-i-o-n -o-f -s-u-c-h
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -o-r -c-o-m-p-o-n-e-n-t -t-h-a-t -i-s
-c-a-u-s-a-l-l-y -r-e-l-a-t-e-d -t-o -t-h-e -h-a-r-m -w-h-i-c-h
-t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m-a-n-t -a-l-l-e-g-e-d-l-y -s-u-f-f-e-r-e-d-;
-`-`-(-2-) -i-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -f-o-r -w-h-o-s-e
-i-n-j-u-r-y -o-r -d-e-a-t-h -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m -i-s -b-e-i-n-g
-m-a-d-e -i-s -a -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r -f-o-r -p-u-r-p-o-s-e-s
-o-f -r-e-c-e-i-v-i-n-g -t-r-e-a-t-m-e-n-t -f-o-r -a
-m-e-d-i-c-a-l -o-r -o-t-h-e-r -e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y-; -o-r
-`-`-(-3-) -i-f -t-h-e -p-e-r-s-o-n -f-o-r -w-h-o-s-e
-i-n-j-u-r-y -o-r -d-e-a-t-h -t-h-e -c-l-a-i-m -i-s -b-e-i-n-g
-m-a-d-e -w-a-s -n-o-t -a-b-o-a-r-d -t-h-e -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t
-a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -o-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t-.
-`-`-(-c-) -G-e-n-e-r-a-l -A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-i-r-c-r-a-f-t
-D-e-f-i-n-e-d-.----F-o-r -t-h-e -p-u-r-p-o-s-e-s -o-f -t-h-i-s
-s-e-c-t-i-o-n-, -t-h-e -t-e-r-m -`-g-e-n-e-r-a-l -a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t-' -m-e-a-n-s -a-n-y -a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t -f-o-r -w-h-i-c-h
-a -t-y-p-e -c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -o-r -a-n -a-i-r-w-o-r-t-h-i-n-e-s-s
-c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -h-a-s -b-e-e-n -i-s-s-u-e-d -b-y -t-h-e
-A-d-m-i-n-i-s-t-r-a-t-o-r-, -w-h-i-c-h-, -a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -s-u-c-h
-c-e-r-t-i-f-i-c-a-t-e -w-a-s -o-r-i-g-i-n-a-l-l-y -i-s-s-u-e-d-,
-h-a-d -a -m-a-x-i-m-u-m -s-e-a-t-i-n-g -c-a-p-a-c-i-t-y -o-f
-f-e-w-e-r -t-h-a-n -2-0 -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r-s-, -a-n-d -w-h-i-c-h
-w-a-s -n-o-t-, -a-t -t-h-e -t-i-m-e -o-f -t-h-e -a-c-c-i-d-e-n-t-,
-e-n-g-a-g-e-d -i-n -s-c-h-e-d-u-l-e-d -p-a-s-s-e-n-g-e-r
-c-a-r-r-y-i-n-g -o-p-e-r-a-t-i-o-n-s -a-s -d-e-f-i-n-e-d -u-n-d-e-r
-r-e-g-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s -i-s-s-u-e-d -u-n-d-e-r -t-h-i-s -A-c-t-.
-`-`-(-d-) -R-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p -t-o -O-t-h-e-r -L-a-w-s-.---
-T-h-i-s -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -s-u-p-e-r-s-e-d-e-s -a-n-y -F-e-d-e-r-a-l -o-r
-S-t-a-t-e -l-a-w -t-o -t-h-e -e-x-t-e-n-t -t-h-a-t -s-u-c-h -l-a-w
-p-e-r-m-i-t-s -a -c-i-v-i-l -a-c-t-i-o-n -d-e-s-c-r-i-b-e-d -i-n
-s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n -(-a-) -t-o -b-e -b-r-o-u-g-h-t -a-f-t-e-r -t-h-e
-a-p-p-l-i-c-a-b-l-e -d-e-a-d-l-i-n-e -f-o-r -s-u-c-h -c-i-v-i-l
-a-c-t-i-o-n -e-s-t-a-b-l-i-s-h-e-d -b-y -s-u-b-s-e-c-t-i-o-n
-(-a-)-.-'-'-.
-S-E-C-. -3-. -C-O-N-F-O-R-M-I-N-G -A-M-E-N-D-M-E-N-T-.
-T-h-e -t-a-b-l-e -o-f -c-o-n-t-e-n-t-s -c-o-n-t-a-i-n-e-d -i-n
-t-h-e -f-i-r-s-t -s-e-c-t-i-o-n -o-f -t-h-e -F-e-d-e-r-a-l
-A-v-i-a-t-i-o-n -A-c-t -o-f -1-9-5-8 -i-s -a-m-e-n-d-e-d -b-y
-a-d-d-i-n-g -a-t -t-h-e -e-n-d -o-f -t-h-e -m-a-t-t-e-r
-r-e-l-a-t-i-n-g -t-o -t-i-t-l-e -X-I -o-f -s-u-c-h -A-c-t -t-h-e
-f-o-l-l-o-w-i-n-g-:
-`-`-S-e-c-. -1-1-1-9-. -T-i-m-e -L-i-m-i-t-a-t-i-o-n -o-n -C-i-v-i-l
-A-c-t-i-o-n-s -A-g-a-i-n-s-t
-A-i-r-c-r-a-f-t
-M-a-n-u-f-a-c-t-u-r-e-r-s-.
-`-`-(-a-) -I-n -g-e-n-e-r-a-l-.
-`-`-(-b-) -E-x-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-s-.
-`-`-(-c-) -G-e-n-e-r-a-l
-a-v-i-a-t-i-o-n
-a-i-r-c-r-a-f-t
-d-e-f-i-n-e-d-.
-`-`-(-d-) -R-e-l-a-t-i-o-n-s-h-i-p -t-o
-o-t-h-e-r -l-a-w-s-.-'-'-.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``General Aviation Revitalization Act
of 1994''.
SEC. 2. TIME LIMITATIONS ON CIVIL ACTIONS AGAINST AIRCRAFT
MANUFACTURERS.
(a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no civil
action for damages for death or injury to persons or damage to property
arising out of an accident involving a general aviation aircraft may be
brought against the manufacturer of the aircraft or the manufacturer of
any new component, system, subassembly, or other part of the aircraft,
in its capacity as a manufacturer if the accident occurred--
(1) after the applicable limitation period beginning on--
(A) the date of delivery of the aircraft to its
first purchaser or lessee, if delivered directly from
the manufacturer; or
(B) the date of first delivery of the aircraft to a
person engaged in the business of selling or leasing
such aircraft; or
(2) with respect to any new component, system, subassembly,
or other part which replaced another component, system,
subassembly, or other part originally in, or which was added
to, the aircraft, and which is alleged to have caused such
death, injury, or damage, after the applicable limitation
period beginning on the date of completion of the replacement
or addition.
(b) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) does not apply--
(1) if the claimant pleads with specificity the facts
necessary to prove, and proves, that the manufacturer with
respect to a type certificate or airworthiness certificate for,
or obligations with respect to continuing airworthiness of, an
aircraft or a component, system, subassembly, or other part of
an aircraft knowingly misrepresented to the Federal Aviation
Administration, or concealed or withheld from the Federal
Aviation Administration, required information that is material
and relevant to the performance or the maintenance or operation
of such aircraft, or the component, system, subassembly, or
other part, that is causally related to the harm which the
claimant allegedly suffered;
(2) if the person for whose injury or death the claim is
being made is a passenger for purposes of receiving treatment
for a medical or other emergency;
(3) if the person for whose injury or death the claim is
being made was not aboard the aircraft at the time of the
accident; or
(4) to an action brought under a written warranty
enforceable under law but for the operation of this Act.
(c) General Aviation Aircraft Defined.--For the purposes of this
Act, the term ``general aviation aircraft'' means any aircraft for
which a type certificate or an airworthiness certificate has been
issued by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration,
which, at the time such certificate was originally issued, had a
maximum seating capacity of fewer than 20 passengers, and which was
not, at the time of the accident, engaged in scheduled passenger-
carrying operations as defined under regulations in effect under the
Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. App. 1301 et seq.) at the time
of the accident.
(d) Relationship to Other Laws.--This section supersedes any State
law to the extent that such law permits a civil action described in
subsection (a) to be brought after the applicable limitation period for
such civil action established by subsection (a).
SEC. 3. OTHER DEFINITIONS.
For purposes of this Act--
(1) the term ``aircraft'' has the meaning given such term
in section 101(5) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49
U.S.C. 1301(5));
(2) the term ``airworthiness certificate'' means an
airworthiness certificate issued under section 603(c) of the
Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1423(c)) or under any
predecessor Federal statute;
(3) the term ``limitation period'' means--
(A) 15 years with respect to piston-powered general
aviation aircraft and the components, systems,
subassemblies, and other parts of such aircraft;
(B) 18 years with respect to turboprop-powered
general aviation aircraft and the components, systems,
subassemblies, and other parts of such aircraft; and
(C) 22 years with respect to other general aviation
aircraft (including jet-powered general aviation
aircraft) and the components, systems, subassemblies,
and other parts of such aircraft; and
(4) the term ``type certificate'' means a type certificate
issued under section 603(a) of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958
(49 U.S.C. 1423(a)) or under any predecessor Federal statute.
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION OF ACT.
(a) Effective Date.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b) Application of Act.--This Act shall not apply with respect to
civil actions commenced before the date of the enactment of this Act.
Passed the Senate March 16 (legislative day, February 22),
1994.
Attest:
WALTER J. STEWART,
Secretary.