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About POGO's Federal Contractor Misconduct Database (FCMD)

The government awards contracts to companies with histories of misconduct such as contract fraud and environmental, ethics, and labor violations. In the absence of a centralized federal database listing instances of misconduct, the Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is providing such data. We believe that it will lead to improved contracting decisions and public access to information about how the government spends hundreds of billions of taxpayer money each year on goods and services. Report an instance of misconduct »

Textron, Inc.

Piper Cherokee Airplane Crash

Date: 04/07/2010 (Date of Verdict Announcement)

Misconduct Type: Other

Enforcement Agency: Non-Governmental

Contracting Party: None

Court Type: Civil

Amount: $88,700,000

Disposition: Judgment Against Defendant

Synopsis: A Pennsylvania jury handed down an $89 million verdict against Textron’s Lycoming aircraft engine division, which was sued for a 1999 Piper PA-32-260 Cherokee accident in which three people were killed and one was seriously injured. The jury awarded $24.7 million in compensatory damages and $64 million in punitive damages, finding that Lycoming had manufactured a defective carburetor and failed to disclose the defects to the Federal Aviation Administration. According to a statement sent to POGO by Textron Systems: “Lycoming is disappointed with the verdict. Lycoming will aggressively pursue post trial motions and, if necessary, aggressively pursue an appeal.”