Released on: September 4, 2008, 2:08 pm

Press Release Author: Rose Walker LLP

Industry: Aerospace

Press Release Summary: DALLAS – The Supreme Court of Texas has denied an appeal by
airplane engine manufacturer Lycoming, effectively ending a six-year legal battle
with a victory for a Texas company that made aircraft engine parts.

Press Release Body: DALLAS – The Supreme Court of Texas has denied an appeal by
airplane engine manufacturer Lycoming, effectively ending a six-year legal battle
with a victory for a Texas company that made aircraft engine parts.

The ruling affirms that Navasota, Texas-based Interstate Southwest, Ltd., made no
mistakes in manufacturing engine crankshafts for Lycoming engines that later failed,
causing airplane crashes and deaths, and leading to a worldwide grounding of
aircraft.

“This Supreme Court decision means Interstate Southwest wins and Lycoming loses –
it’s as simple as that,” says attorney Marty Rose of Rose•Walker in Dallas, who
represents Interstate Southwest. “A jury of 12 people looked at this and said that
Lycoming was to blame. This decision affirms that.”

In 2005, a jury in Grimes County, Texas, found the Lycoming engines division of
Providence, RI-based Textron (NYSE:TXT) liable for fraud, and ordered the company to
pay approximately $96 million to Interstate Southwest. An appeals court later
reduced the amount to cover attorneys’ fees only, but left in place a finding that
wiped out Lycoming’s $186 million counterclaim.

The appellate court also upheld the trial court’s judgment that Lycoming’s own
design defect was the sole cause of the crankshaft failures and that Lycoming could
not seek indemnity from Interstate Southwest for any other crankshaft failures.
Lycoming since has been forced to recall thousands of additional crankshafts after
more of them failed and wanted Interstate Southwest to pay for new crankshafts.

The engine failures led to repeated worldwide recalls of most Lycoming aircraft
engines. It also prompted class-action lawsuits on behalf of airplane owners who
sued Lycoming in an attempt to get the company to accept responsibility.

Rose•Walker, L.L.P. is a premier trial law firm, focusing on complex civil
litigation. It represents businesses and individuals, and its many major courtroom
victories have helped Rose•Walker earn a national reputation for excellence. To
learn more about the firm, please visit www.rosewalker.com.

For more information on the decision from the Supreme Court of Texas, please contact
Mark Annick at 800-559-4534, 214-213-1754 (mobile) or mark@androvett.com.



Web Site: http://www.rosewalker.com

Contact Details: Mark Annick
Androvett Legal Media
2501 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 650
Dallas, TX 75219
214-559-4630