McLaughlin v. Sikorsky Aircraft

In McLaughlin v. Sikorsky Aircraft (1983) 148 Cal. App. 3d 203, plaintiffs sued the manufacturer for injuries allegedly caused by a defective design of a military helicopter. The court held that evidence that the manufacturer complied with military specifications in designing the aircraft was irrelevant under a risk-benefit theory of strict product liability. (Id., at pp. 207-208.) The court states that the risk-benefit test focuses attention on the adequacy of the product itself rather than on the manufacturer's conduct, and permits consideration of the mechanical feasibility of alternate designs, but not administrative or bureaucratic feasibility. (Id. at p. 209.)