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COMPLAINT
The Plaintiffs, John G. Roberts, JI. and Carole Ann Roberts, as Administrators of the
Estate of John G. Roberts, III, Deceased, by their attorneys, Lewis & Lewis, P .c.., for their
PARTIES
L Plaintiff, John G. Roberts, Jr, is a resident and a citizen of New YOlk State and
was duly appointed Co-AdministratOl of the Estate of John G. Roberts, III, Deceased, by the
2 Plaintiff Carole Ann Roberts, is a resident and a citizen of New York State and
was duly appointed Co-Administrator of the Estate of John G. Roberts, III, Deceased, by the
3.. The decedent, John G. Roberts, III, died in an airplane crash on February 12, 2009
4. The Plaintiffs, Co-Administrators of the Estate ofJohn G. Roberts, III, bring this
action as Co-Administrators and personal representatives of the Estate of John G. Roberts, III,
Deceased, and on behalf of each and every beneficiary, survivor and heir of John G. Roberts, III,
Deceased.
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business located in
Houston, TX. Continental is licensed to conduct business and does conduct business in the State
of New York The agent for service of process on Continental is CT Corporation Systems, 111
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware with its principal place of business located in
Memphis, TN. Pinnacle is licensed to conduct business in the State of New York and does
conduct business in the State of New York The agent for service of process on Pinnacle is CT
organized under the laws of the State of Virginia, with its principal place of business located in
Manassas, VA Colgan is licensed to conduct business in the State of New York and does
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 3 of 15
conduct business in the State of New York The agent for seIvice of process on Colgan is CT
is a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Texas and maintains its principal place
of business in Quebec, Canada. Bombardier is licensed to conduct business in the State of New
York and does conduct business in the State of New York The agent for service of process on
9.. This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to 28 U.SC §1332(a)(l)..
The matter in controversy exceeds the sum of$75,000 . 00, exclusive of interest and costs .
10.. Venue is proper based on 28 USc. §1391(a) because a substantial part of the
events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred in this Judicial District. The plaintiffs and
the decedent were and are residents of this Judicial District. All defendants conduct business in
11 . At all times relevant hereto, Defendants Continental, Pimrac1e, and Colgan were
12.. On or before February 12, 2009, Defendants, Colgan andlor Pinnacle andlor
13 On February 12, 2009 the Defendant Colgan andlor the Defendant Continental
operated the above-referenced aircraft, as Colgan Air Flight 3407 d/b/a Continental Flight 3407,
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 4 of 15
as a scheduled flight flam Newark Liberty International Airport, located at Newark, New Jersey,
14. Flight 3407 was marketed as Continental Flight 3407 under the Continental brarrd
arrd Defendarrt, Colgarr, operated said aircraft under the name "Continental Connection" .
15.. At all times mentioned hereafter, Defendarrt Colgarr, operated under the name
16 On February 12, 2009, Plaintiffs decedent, John G. Roberts, III, was a fiue-
17.. Upon information arrd belief, at all times hereinafter mentioned, Defendarrts,
Pinnacle is a parent and/or principal arrd/or alter ego of Colgarr Pinnacle utilizes Colgan to
conduct business in certain areas of the United States, including the State of New York. As a
result of the above, both Pinnacle arrd Colgarr are liable to the Plaintiffs for the crash of Flight
3407 on February 12, 2009 resulting in injury arrd death to the Plaintiffs decedent, John G
Roberts, IlL
18. Upon information arrd belief, the aircraft was purchased by Defendarrt, Pinnacle
19.. Upon information and belief; on February 12, 2009, Marvin Renslow (hereinafter
"Renslow"), was a resident of the State of Florida, Captain of Flight 3407, arrd arr employee of
20. Upon information arrd belief; on February 12, 2009, Rebecca Shaw (hereinafter
"Shaw"), was a resident of the State of Washington, First Officer of Flight 3407, arrd arr
2L On Febrmny 12,2009 at approximately 10:17 p.m., the subject aircraft was flying
on auto-pilot in known icing conditions on its instrument approach to Runway 23 at the Buffhlo
Niagara International Airport when the flight crew lost control of the aircraft
22. At said time and place the flight crew allowed the aircraft to fly too slow which
21 After the flight crew lost control of the aircraft, and in the period of time leading
to the crash, the aircraft flew out of control, rolled, dived and ultimately crashed into a house on
Long Road in Clarence Center, New York. The sudden, violent and unexpected movements of
the aircraft resulted in the passengers onboard the aircraft, including the Plaintiffs' Decedent,
John G., Roberts, III, being sUJ:>iected to forces which caused bodily injmy, pain and suffering,
24, On and before February 12, 2009, the Defendants, Colgan, Pinnacle and
Continental, owned, controlled, inspected, serviced, maintained, repaired, trained the Pilot and
Flight Crew, monitored, loaded and operated Flight 3407, its aircraft and its component parts,
including but not limited to the de-icing systems, flight control systems, electrical systems and
with the Defendant, Bombardier, wrote and/or approved instructions and warnings for the
serviced, maintained, monitored, the subject aircraft and its component parts.,
26 The Defendants actions as described in this complaint were wanton and reckless
and demonstrated a conscious indifference and utter disregard of their effects upon the health and
safety of the passengers on Flight 3407, including the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G.. Roberts, III,
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 6 of 15
27, As a direct and proximate result of the acts of the Defendants, the Plaintiffs'
Decedent, John G, Roberts, III, sustained serious injUlies which resulted in his death, and his
beneficiaries, heirs and sUlvivors have incmred funeral, bmial and related expenditmes"
28, As a direct and proximate result ofthe acts of the Defendants, his parents and his
adult siblings, have been damaged and will continue to be damaged and deprived of the
Decedent's services, companionship, guidance, increased inheritance and support in the futme
and have sustained and will continue to sustain other pecuniary loss, as well as other
29 The Plaintiffs' Decedent, JOM G Roberts, III, was at all times in the exercise of
COUNT I
NEGLIGENCE - DEFENDANTS CONTINENTAL,
PINNACLE AND COLGAN
30., Plaintiffs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
31., On or before Febmary 12, 2009, Defendants, Continental, Pinnacle and Colgan by
and through their agents, servants and employees, as cornmon carriers for hire, were obligated to
exercise the highest degree of care and to provide safe transportation to all passengers on Flight
3407,
32., On or before Febmary 12, 2009 notwithstanding their legal duty, the Defendants,
Continental, Pinnacle and Colgan by and through their employees, servants and/or agents,
including but not limited to Renslow and Shaw, breached their legal duty of car'e and acted in a
c Failed to propeJly use and operate all available de-icing andlor anti-icing
equipment;
e Failed to properly and safely operate and control the subject aircraft;
L Failed to properly train its pilot and flight crew in low-airspeed awareness;
n. Negligently hired, supervised, and trained the flight crew of Flight 3407;
o Failed to provide the pilot and flight crew of Flight 3407 with the
necessary information of meteorological conditions;
q. Failed to provide the pilot and flight crew of Flight 3407 with propel
andlor adequate training as to the proper control, management and response to adverse weather
andlor atmospheric icing conditions;
L Failed to properly train the pilot and flight crew of Flight 3407 regarding
roll anomalies;
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 8 of 15
COUNTn
STRICT LIABILITY - DEFENDANT BOMBARDIER
33. Plaintiffs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
34 At all times hereinafter mentioned, the subject aircraft as Flight 3407 was being
35 Bombardier manufactured the subject aircraft designated as Flight 3407 and its
component parts, systems, manuals, instructions and warnings were defective and unreasonably
dangerous by reason of defective design and manufacture, and the failure of Defendant,
Bombardier to give adequate and proper warnings of the dangers existing and adequate
instructions regarding the avoidance of such dangers.. The defective and dangerous condition of
the subject aircraft exposed the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G Roberts, III, and others similarly
situated on Flight 3407 as well as the general public to unreasonable risk of harm and was a
proximate and producing cause of the Plaintiffs' Decedent's injuries, death and damages .
36. The unreasonably dangerous conditions and/or defects include, but are not limited
to, the de-icing system, the pilot's operation manual, the flight control systems, maintenance
manuals and procedures, and the absence of adequate warnings and instructions regarding the
danger. At the time the subject aircraft and its components, maintenance procedures were sold
andlor marketed and/or placed into the str·eam of commerce by the Defendant, Bombardier, such
product was defective and unreasonably dangerous to persons including the Plaintiffs' Decedent,
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 9 of 15
John G. Roberts, III, who could reasonably be expected to use or benefit fiom them, and which
defective and unreasonably dangerous conditions were, a direct and proximate cause of the
37.. The subject aircraft was also defective by reason of the Defendant, Bombardier's
failure to include or place within the subject aircraft adequate or proper warnings andlor
instIUctions as to the dangers associated with the design and foreseeable maintenance and use of
the subject aircraft and how to avoid such dangers, and which defects rendered the subject
aircraft dangerous and a direct and proximate cause of the Plaintiffs' Decedent's injuries, death
and damages.
38.. The defective subject aircraft and inadequate warnings provided by the Defendant
Bombardier was a substantial factor in causing the Plaintiffs' Decedent's injuries, death and
damages.. Therefore, Defendant, Bombardier is strictly liable for Plaintiffs' damages and for the
3407 crashed causing the death of John G. Roberts, III and resulted in damages to the Plaintiffs,
to the Estate oDohn G. Roberts, III, and to the Decedent's beneficiaries, Mother, Father, siblings
and all other beneficiaries, survivors and heirs under applicable law, as well as causing pre-
impact tenor, pain, suffering, injuries and death to John G Roberts, III. As a result, the
distributees and survivors of John G. Roberts, III, have suffered pecuniary loss, have incurred
funeral expenses and have suffered the loss of pecuniary benefits they had a reasonable right to
expect had John G. Roberts, III, lived, including but not limited to loss of support, guidance, and
COUNT III
RES IPSA LOOUITUR - DEFENDANTS.
CONTINENTAL. PINNCALE AND COLGAN
40.. Plaintiffs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
41.. The Plaintiffs plead the Doctrine of "Res Ipsa Loquitur". The occunence speaks
for itself; that is an event such as the crash of Flight 3407 would not usually occur absent
negligence; the instrumentality being the subject aircraft was within the Defendant's Continental,
Pinnacle and Colgan's exclusive control; and the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G Roberts, III, did
42, As a direct and proximate result of the negligence of the Defendants, Continental,
Pinnacle and Colgan, Flight 3407, crashed causing injuries and then death to John G, Roberts, III
and resulted in damages to the PlaintifIs, to the Estate of John G Roberts, III, and to the
Decedent's Mother, Father, siblings and all other beneficiaries, survivors and heirs under
applicable law, as well as causing pre-impact terror, pain, suffering, injuries and death to John G
Roberts, III As a result, the distributees and survivors of John G, Roberts, III, have suffered
pecuniary loss, have incurred funeral expenses and have suffered a loss of pecuniary benefits
they had a reasonable right to expect had John G, Roberts III lived, including but not limited to
COUNT IV
NEGLIGENCE - DEFENDANT BOMBARDIER
43" Plaintiffs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
aircraft and its component parts, systems, marruals, instIUctions arrd warnings .
45. Defendarrt Bombardier's negligence was a proximate cause of the crash of Flight
3407 .
46.. Defendarrt Bombardier knew, or in the exercise of reasonable care should have
known, tlrat the subject aircraft arrd its components parts, systems, marruals, instructions arrd
warnings were defective arrd unreasonably darrgerous to tlrose persons likely to use tire subject
aircraft arrd its component parts for tire plUposes arrd for tire marrner in which tlrey were intended
to be used arrd for plUposes reasonably foreseeable to the Defendant Bombardier including the
plUpose for which tire subject aircraft was designated as Flight 3407 on FebIUary 12,2009
47.. Defendarrt Bombardier's negligence was the proximate cause of the Plaintiffs
48.. Defendarrt Bombardier was negligent in tlrat it failed to give adequate arrd proper
warnings arrd instIUctions to ordinary arrd foreseeable users of tire subject aircraft, including
Defendarrts, Continental, Pinnacle arrd Colgarr, as well as the Plaintiffs Decedent, John G.
Ro belts, IlL
49.. Defendarrt Bombardier owed tire Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G Roberts, III, a duty
of reasonable care in the design, marrufacture and testing of tire subject aircraft arrd its
component parts.
50.. Defendarrt Bombardier breached their legal duty arrd were negligent in one or
a. Failed to design, marrufactlUe arrd assemble tire subject aircraft free of all
defects;
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 12 of 15
c.. Failed to properly and adequately test and monitor the subject aircraft so
as to learn of its inherent inability to perform safely in atmospheric icing conditions;
d.. Failed to design, manufactme and assemble the subject aircraft with an
adequate Low-Airspeed Alert System;
e.. Failed to design, manufactme and assemble the subject aircraft with an
adequate Auto- Throttle System in order to assure appropriate airspeed was maintained in icing
conditions;
51 . Defendant Bombardier's negligent acts were a proximate cause of the crash, the
Plaintiffs' damages and the injury and death ofthe Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G. Roberts, III.
COUNT V
BREACH OF EXPRESS AND IMPLIED WARRANTY
- DEFENDANT BOMBARDIER
52. PlaintifIs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
53. Defendant Bombardier is an aerospace manufacturer that holds itself out to the
public as having exceptional knowledge, skill and experience in the design, construction,
assembly, manufacturing, testing and maintenance of aircraft and in the preparation of flight and
maintenance manuals, and inspection of transport category aircraft and their components.
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 13 of 15
assembled, manufactured, inspected, tested and published flight opemtions and maintenance
manuals, and caused the subject aircraft to be certified, including the subject aircmft that was
designated as Flight 3407 on FebIUary 12, 2009, which Defendant Bombardier expressly and
impliedly warranted was fit for its intended purposes and use as an aircraft in commercial air
55 Defendant Bombardier marketed, sold, distributed and caused the subject aircraft
designated as Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009, to be introduced into the stream of commerce
56. Defendant Bombardier expressly and impliedly warmnted to the geneml public,
including the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G Roberts, III, that the subject aircraft was fit for the
57. As a fare-paying passenger, the PlaintifIs' Decedent, John G. Roberts, III, made
use ofthe subject aircraft designated as Flight 3407 in an intended and foreseeable manner, and
he relied upon the express and implied warranties made by the Defendant Bombardier .
58.. In direct contradiction to the warranties, the subject aircraft was not fit for its
intended and foreseeable use, thereby rendering the aircraft unreasonably dangerous.
warranties because of the aircmft's inadequate and defective components which included but was
not limited to, Defendant Bombardier's failure to provide warning of the aircraft's inadequacies
and defects and the failure to provide proper and adequate instruction in the safe opemtion and
60. Defendant Bombardier's breach of wauanties and the defects refened to above
rendered the subject aircraft umeasonably dangerous and was a proximate and producing cause
of the crash of Flight 3407, the damages sustained by the Plaintiffs, and the injUly and death of
61. As a member of the traveling public, the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G. Roberts,
III, relied to his detriment upon Defendant, Bombardier's express and implied representations of
safety and fitness fOl the use which the subject aircraft designated as Flight 3407 was put to on
FeblUary 12,2009 .
COUNT VI
PUNITIVE DAMAGES ALL OF THE DEFENDANTS
62. Plaintiffs repeat and reallege all of the allegations contained above with the same
63 . The actions and admissions of the Defendants named herein, including their own
conduct as well as the actions and omissions of their officers, agents, servants and/or employees
as setfOlth above was grossly negligent and said Defendants acted with wanton and/or reckless
disregard for the safety of others including the Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G.. Roberts, III, and as
64.. One or more of the allegations of gross negligence and/or reckless conduct on the
part of the Defendants was a substantial factor in causing the Plaintiffs' damages and the injUles
65.. Based upon the foregoing, the Plaintiffs are entitled to punitive damages pUlsuant
to applicable Law.
Case 1:09-cv-00825-WMS Document 1 Filed 09/18/09 Page 15 of 15
4. Damages aJising from the pre-impact physical pain and suffering, mental
tellO!, and mental anguish ofthe Plaintiffs' Decedent, John G. Robelts, III,
(N.YEP.TL §11-33);
6.. Interest from the date ofthe OCCUlTence, FeblUaJy 12, 2009, upon the
Plincipal SUlll recovered by the Plaintiffs . (N.Y EPTL §5-4.J);
9.. Any other and further relief which the COUlt deems just and propel
BY'~~~~~-+=7~~-
S, ESQ .
Attorneys for Plaintiffi
LEWIS & LEWIS, PC
800 Cathedral PaJk Tower
37 Franklin Street
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 854-2100
alewis@lewislawcom