A Montana federal district court has found contacts with the forum state merely "relating to" the cause of action are sufficient to support the exercise of specific personal jurisdiction over a foreign helicopter manufacturer. Thomas Duffy died when the K-Max helicopter he was piloting on an aerial firefighting mission crashed in Oregon. Mr. Duffy's estate and his employer, Central Copters, Inc., commenced a product liability action against the helicopter manufacturer, claiming that the crash was caused by a defective rotor flap.
Kaman moved to dismiss the...
