HONOLULU — Former Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy’s brother says in a lawsuit that an engine manufacturer in Canada is to blame for a small plane’s ocean landing that killed her.
HONOLULU — Former Hawaii Health Director Loretta Fuddy’s brother says in a lawsuit that an engine manufacturer in Canada is to blame for a small plane’s ocean landing that killed her.
Lewis Fuddy Jr. filed a lawsuit Monday against Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. and Makani Kai Air Charters.
His 65-year-old sister Loretta Fuddy died of an irregular heartbeat that was triggered when the plane she was riding in lost power and crash-landed off the Hawaiian island of Molokai in December.
The pilot and seven other passengers on the Makani Kai Air flight survived without major injuries.
The lawsuit says Pratt & Whitney knew about a tendency of turbine blades to stretch when heated, which causes the engine to lose power.
The company didn’t immediately comment.
Makani Kai owner Richard Schuman says he isn’t aware of the lawsuit.