Opinion ID: 268199
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Wilful misconduct in the plane's approach.

Text: 33 There is no justification for the conclusion that the only permissible inference from all the evidence was that the pilot had been guilty of wilful misconduct-- whether under Judge Ritter's standard or under that stated by the prior cases. 34 Defendants argue that a reasonable inference for the jury to have made was 'that the pilot from some inscrutable cause, became confused as to his actual position and commenced his let-down from a point he believed to be the proper one.' If that were so, wilful misconduct would not have been established under any standard. We cannot doubt that a jury could reasonably have thought it so on this record. The evidence shows that the pilot quite possibly thought he was making a proper landing-- in most respects he was, apart from location. There is evidence from which the jury could have inferred that the pilot would not have been likely to have tried to land without having received the requisite signals, thereby violating his clearance. The evidence also suggests that there may have been some radio communication trouble. 35 Against this, plaintiffs argue that, because of the technical and electronic characteristics of the indicators involved-- which they assert to have been operating properly-- the pilot could not have received all the signals which he was required by his clearance to receive before beginning his let-down. Because of this, they say, the pilot must have let down knowing that he had not received the proper signals, or with reckless disregard for whether or not he had. However, all these questions depend upon inferences to be drawn from essentially circumstantial evidence. Those who alone could provide direct evidence as to what in fact led the pilot to act are, unfortunately, not able to do so. 4 One can hardly imagine a clearer case in which such questions should have been left to the jury. See, e.g., LeRoy v. Sabena Belgian World Airlines, 344 F.2d 266, 271 (2d Cir. 1965). We cannot even say that the pilot's or the airline's negligence was established as a matter of law, much less wilful misconduct. Once the case went to the jury, its verdict should not have been upset if reasonable men could find in defendant's favor, as they certainly could here. Markusen v. General Aniline & Film Corp., 16 F.R.D. 455 (S.D.N.Y.1954), aff'd on the opinion below, 221 F.2d 479 (2d Cir. 1955); see, e.g., Lavender v. Kurn, 327 U.S. 645, 652-653, 66 S.Ct. 740, 90 L.Ed. 916 (1946); O'Connor v. Pennsylvania R.R., 308 F.2d 911, 914 (2d Cir. 1962); 2B Barron & Holtzoff, Federal Practice & Procedure, 1075 at 378 (1961). 36