IN RE: Air Crash Disaster Near Saigon, South Vietnam, on April 4, 1975

Case MDL No.-221 Document 2 Filed 05/01/15 Page 1 of 4
Cll 4s | 404 FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTCy }
i) ] : :
FSwop. 1401 (Ju .Phn.Mult.Lit.1974). death of over 130 people had been filed
. Aorecker, the Pancl dxpressly retained in five diflerznt districis, anticipation
the power to fill anyf vacancies created of additional Iiiings did not make an or- | :
: on the Skecial Court. f1d. at 1403. Inas- der transferrinz litigation to particular
. much as gc Honorgble Carl McGowan, district for coordinated or consolidated - oo
[I United Staths Cirvecuff Judge of the Court. pretrial proceeding premature since i
! of Appeals fy they District of Columbia there had been sufficient development so Lo oT
i Circuit, has v@gighed from the Special that an infammed decision on propriety .
Court, we hercbfselect and appoint the of fransfer znd appropriate transicree Co
Honorable Joh Mipor Wisdom, United ~ court could Le made and there were
States CircuitfJudgesf the Court of Ap- well-establisted procedures by which ad-
peals for thefFifth Cirégit, to fill the va- diticnal “taz-ulong” actions could be |
| cancy. \ ) "© quickly considered for iramsier. 28 U. :	It is sgfordered: © 8.C.A. § 1407. : :
of © 1 2. Courts ¢=271.2 .
i nL } Lo - _. + Where Jive actions had been filed in :So : five different districts in various parts :
! So TT . < . of country as result of a foreign air :
. : . - © plane crash resulting in the deaths of }
| | . over 150 persons, Judicial Panel on Mul- i :
| In re ATR CRASH DISASTER NEAR district Lingution determined that the asSAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM, ON ster of tae actions to the LISinC Of Co
] APRIL 4, 1975. . Columbia, in which there was pending .
! } ) No. 221.- : litigation involving the claims of the
i h - - : _ ‘most significant number of plaintiils, :| id Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. for coordinated or consolidated pretrial 5
LL J - Nov. 5, 1975. _ . proceedings would best serve conve-
® - Co _* nience of parties andwitnesses and pro-. © © mote the just and efficient conduct of EN .
| : Motion was made for coordinated or Jitigation. 28 U.S.C.A.§ 1407. .
Ey consolidated pretrial proceedings with : )
i . respect to five actions, pending in five 3. Courts C=277.2 CL .
: different districts, arising out of for- In alr sisaster litigation mn which a :
| - eign air crash which resulted in the ouon Is made dor iransier for coordi- .
j deaths of over 150 persons. The Judicial nated or consolidated pretrial proceed-
: Panel on Multidistrict Litigation held ings, Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Liti- :
: that the transfer to the District of Col- ation is extremely reiuctant to select a =
umbia,.	in which there was pending an district in which no related action is - |
| “action involving the most significant pending. 28 U.S.C.A.	§ 1407. - k
“number of plaintiffs, would best serve !
convenience of parties and witnesses and =. eee ; .
: promote just and efficient conduct of lit- : :
sation. Re OPINION AND ORDER : 7
Transfer for coordinated or consoli- - J gp EE
dated pretrial proceedings ordered. Before ALFRED P. MURRAH , .
. Co Chairman, and JOIN MINOR WIS- }
SL RE DOM, EDWARD WEINFELD, EDWIN .
1. Courts C2772 Co © "A. ROBSON, WILLIAM I. BECKER,
Where five actions arising out of JOSEPII S. I.ORD, Ii, and STANLEY }
foreign airplane crash resulting in the A. WEIGEL. Judges of the Panel. | :
* Judge Murrah was unable to attend the jn the coralderazion or decision of this mat- .
Lh : Panel hearing and, therefore, took no part ter. ] -

| Co Case MDL No. 221 Document 2 Filed 05/01/15 Page 2 of 4
|
a a IN RE AIR CRASH DISASTER NEAR SAIGON, SOUTH VIZTNAM £75Cite as 404 1.Supp. 478 (1073) . .
C PER CURIAM. District of Columbia for coordinated or. ;©" A Lockheed C-54 aircraft, owned and consolidated pretrial proceedings pursu-operated by the United States Air ant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407 will best serve
} Force, crashed shortly after takeoff the convenience of the parties and wit-
from the Saigon Airport in the clésing nesses and promote the just and effi- .
Lo : days of the Vietnara War. The plane, cient conduct of the litigation.
carrying over 300 peisons, was evacuat- As is usually the case in multidistriet
ing Victnamese orphans in the so-called air disaster litigation, the only real issue
“Bzby-Lift.” One hundred fifty-five in dispute among the parties is the loca-
people died as a result of the crash. tion of the appropriate transferee fo-
{1] Five actions arising out of this Yum. See, e. g., In re Air Crash Disas-
= tragedy are thus far pending in five dif-~ ter at Florida Everglades on December
. ferent districts: one each in the Dis-~ 29, 1972, 360 F.Supp. 1394 (Jud.Pan.
trict of the District of Columbia, the Mult.Lit.1973). Lockheed suggests that’ Southern District of New York, the Cen- the Northern Distiic: of Georgia is the
tral District of California and the. appropriate transferee court because the
- Southern and Northern Districts of Illi- C-5A aircraft in question was manufac-
nois. Lockheed, the sole defendant to tured at its plant in Marietta, Georgia,
~ date in each action, moves the Panel for 2nd the discovery taken of it will there-
. an order transferring this litigation to fore occur in that district. oo
) the Northern District ot Georgia for co- : {31 Unlike air disaster litigation in-: ordirated or consolidated pretrial pro- os . R a nel.
edings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407 volving crashes -occurring within thece 8s pars 5 : n United States, which we have generallyCo : All responding parties, wit One assigned to the Gistriet of the situs ofoF . ‘exezpuon,® agree that transfer under meh 8 ho oo oy
: ¢ ; Seti 1407 i propriate, but the the crash, there are as yet no generalLo ecuon ) oo appropr aie, i 4 Jy raics that govern our sclection of a
C ‘ NBabel transteoe couwe other than the transferce court in litigations concern-
SHH a fer there while plaintiffs jn 1OWever, previously rejected requests to“aver sransier ere wa p.an ES transfer such litigations to the pariicu-
: the Southern and Norihern Iftinols od lar district wherein the plane involved
Co Plait	on theNorinenn Thiasis wns Was msnufectured. Seo, c.g. 7s air
alternatively favor transfer to the Cen- Crash Disaster at Pago Pago, American: . tral District of California, as do plain- Samoa, on January go 1974, 383 I.
+ tiffs in the action pending in that dis- SUD. 501 iS ud.-Pan Mult. Lit.1974) ; In
i oo trict in the event their prematurity ar- Te Air Crash Disaster Near Papecte, Ta-
] gament is rejected? hiti, on Juiy 22, 1973, 397 I.Supp. 856 -hte (Jud.Pan.3ult.Lit.1975). And we are,
[2] These actions clearly involve as we noted in the Papeete decision, ex-
: cornmon questions of fact and we find tremely reluctant to select a distriet, like :
that their transfer to the District of the the Northern District of Georgia in the
. f. Plaintiffs in the California action have ar- be quickly considered jor transfer nner Sea . . .gued that = transfer at this time would bs = tion 3-497. See ules 9 and 10, TLE
presature since oaly a minimal number of L., 65 ¥.3.D. 233, 256-60 (1973).actiois have yet been filed with many more . - . >
pa. tod. o wo disagree. Although 2. Ree footnote 1, supra. .
additional actions wi itkely	be filed iv ds . . . -
Erigation. there hit heeneniteiont	dca 5Nea, ei In re Air Crash Disoster NearNO hat an Suformed dace ) } mneceidle, Virginia, on December d, 97, }men So that an informed uecsion on the 393 F.Supp. 108H (Jud. Pan Malt. Lit 1675) -
propriety of ra es aad the Ariopriate In re Delta Airlines Crash cd Boston, Messa-ransiere 01 an be made. And, © NAN Ps Sa rey yA or is
ts fn“or well established procedures Co Dns ate 197, UE Sap. 1403	£ by which additional “tag-along” actions ean : :

!
J drearicims .
: do . mm i
EE . .
PR Pon 6 TUTSTNESTR 4 YF QTTVFDY AIRS wR :
o 255 A434 TEDERAL SUPPLEMNEN. :
PIC) R
Dadar Vides Jew warm ind J Ts on Alabaster Phe colection of the Tyistyipd
: instant litigation, wn owoitn Bo related tor dictating wie selection of the Lislniy	: UN TT TZ PPRPIRU.FSU vor Ce hen Thlub led of Oolumbia 43 Fea aTI- .seiion is ponding. ACLOTGINGIY, & trans- of the District of Golumbla &s daca -
Tigre Es tes by meer Wiebe ind oT pry J rTat I sa I a	LO WO ne Naor then District 01 (Georgia provriate iransierss our.
cel pnd Tein te paar :	
wii not be orderad. Ep. - ee a }
. . . It is therefore ovaered fase ag ad : .Laat corer ninte av Bolgl? oF 5 fForaTioier Le Te. R . - .	The arguments on behalf of a transler ino tisied on the following Sehediie A .PE cal : : 3 EAJS Fe ~ a .	a this litiration to the Noriaern od wR pd) tab ataie mdr $Rav dha .
or tans Hligation ; ; and pending in disiricts olaer inan tas .	Foi n TS at ge £2 Ty EDR ={ ry -	Sqgubnesr IsurICEs Ql nois or the ven Taha nd mE i Tod gad pd 2 mainte tr	Zouthern Districts of Ihings or the LER Riggriet of the District of Columbia be, :	: ER NP RIS IOS Re “ne ot ae lyr	
vat Disteet of Cauiornia ars SONA SRE IL URE WR.34 R FOND. JOTI.I
hl Slate Me " a N apd fhe samme hereby are, Lransiorred w	meaner OL YT Pte pre Fear Ta TO Ayer	
Lonersuasive. wor than 153 pen We y £4 Ved yint of thn 1iieriict FOI PN 3. .
Lapersuasive. Ju HE . Lat the District of the District of Columbia	Lf oivole sotigps in tnese disiricis ane ni arid EY PR :
wl HINZIC GUUOES dee 0 Ce tang with the consent of that court, as- .	podem fi mgr minimiiffe were 18 . YC - pn —	
volving few nuwmed plaintiffs, BRer@ 35 oipnag to the Henowvable Widiem 3Sos ® : LY - = h = * N	13:41. that would commend them as ap- ve Fre a: an VIA en
Hille baa WOtll Comite RAS AD" gones for coordinated or consoiidatia	meme do transferees ple Tor (ht ar- . . ~ 3T	
aropricte transferee courts Tor WIS PAM nuptial proceedings pursuant to 28 C.5.
“ientar Niigation. . a so "	LiCdiul dvigitatin C. § 1407 with the action pending in
iva LET an dine in +t TY oF ovr of 2 FRI Es Tak Tha Cte a AY	_ The action pending in ine District of that district and listed on Schedule A. }<5 RE 4 RAF EERE + 44 wo Ym man	the District of Columbia, on ine Gingl . .
my $a voy Ep J Tod £0 AY ry af . :	rand, involves the claims of ihe most SCHEDULE A .
Stree 5 wryiyivose oof lointifis Tr ga —_——— ’	significant nuraber of plalnliiis. In abs . BN }
Sika 7 te le aemnd wloiwiiffs Southars District of 1ilissis =	ditipn to the Si named plaintiffs, a Seuthers District of 115013R nn 3 SEE TE art Ie Seals 2 Kaufman, of Civil Action
aroun calied Friends for All Children, Marenite P. Kaufman, ¢ic. v. Gav Action	. xe . < es gspE os Lockheed Adrcraft Corp. ho. S-Civ-75-2	on ANE a " IO. L388 3s LLent bd A =	Tae. (FFAG) has joined as plainulz in -.
FRIIS i - a AY Ta dhe mesaansl 14 Northern District of 1ilingis .	shui aetion, FFAC iz the persona: ¥ep- HNertharn Gisleict OF JERS
’ sosentative of 77° of the orphan dote- American National Bank & Chi Action	~ . . < - I . Trust fomeany of Chicana Ng. 75-2180	Ry. SnD Game Eyed amd opm wut SE Loman [EERIE 2 NG. 15 PRs}
£ Jers and bas boon GPPROINLEG AAWNINES Leo of gekhsed Aieeralt Corn .	: 3 [Een A CIE Larraty Lrg.
: te Grime mE tay patna Oy ES a PIE 5	TL centor of thelr estates. Thus, he Q@ms a4 : Pa «ot “os « i Southern Listed	A ay SE fey TTR a. bo RR SRR NSY .	of 83 of the 155 decedent’ are prasentiy of Hew York
Briar Ties peti IM THe FR Sea) Sova es	Gefare The court an uae Distrmget of Lo oo . |
x i R Patvicia Diliensegor, eto. wv Cit Action	JUL RE CearaF Tl nrraiv oe RO } A hy -	umbis, Moreover, the intervening Doubs Lockheed Alrcrait Corp. No. 75 Civ. 3092-CHT
SN teem emt ameea ine Vier J JL} JRE SO :	ES fond eivenmstances ine Vietnam folowing oo roan of California .	: phd Alavi T valhulitia	CT geet du [ORIN L331 Tila aN Me A .	he evash in question will likely comphi- TT TO Tn cot Ac .
R . R . . iy: J Garptt BE. Bel, el all wv Civil Action .	[URE SP AES ten ma - . TT TE : . 1)	sate tne GIRCoVeryY neeess[ary iv EYE aNi A a Lz _ : LY 3	: cate the discovery DRCESSArY in Ls Li tocknead Aircraft Corp, £0 al. Mo. CV7S-2285-JWC	JURY I Je FV Yeeft Xe SO NT	
Halil. he aoeation, a and TOAar wai as . .	Sst oi Lm
EE IPUTEIY SEPP o J Spe A CD EV rena	an 3S 3 TT - -	EEE) ict C1 ALorunadia, OL Lag OVETINTICHY District of Coivmbia . .
Tae x 3: POSUERE1 . Ea . . .	svonecies Tro whom discovery Will 80 ping HJ © Ai mee: :
ped = a fe Wao 0 GIRCOVEXY “A . w tiichard HH. Jones, ei. wv. Civil Action -	am FS “ yi FO - eR eral Fas PE ee | ; .	: cordingly be s0ugal 15 &n additional 1ae- luckheed Aircraft Corp. No. 75-0874
: B & : . “
N ’
.
- oo . ad . : .
. a «a :

Case MDL No. 221 Document 2 Filed 05/01/15 Page 4 of 4
! pein PANELS
CER ALI ERR Ca
LL DOCKET NO. 221 ria
C hOY-3 1977 || BEFORE THE JUDICIAL PANEL ON MULTIDISTRICT LITIGATION.	nt
| CLERA	OF Toi Canin
IN RE AIR CRASH DISASTER NEAR SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM, ON
APRIL 4, 1975 . :
ORDER REASSIGNING LITIGATION :
Inasmuch as the actions in the above litigation have a
been reassigned from Judge William B. Jones to Judge Louis
F. Oberdorfer, in accordance with the Local Rules for the
United States District Court for the District of the District
of Columbia,
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the above-captioned litiga-
tion be, and the same hereby is, reassigned to the Honorable
Louis F. Cberdorfer for the remainder of the coordinated or
: consolidated pretrial proceedings pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1407.
FOR THE PANEL:
- John Minor Wisdom
® Chairman
E==s