Central Connecticut Aircraft, LLC v. State

41 Misc. 3d 919, 972 N.Y.S.2d 390
CourtNew York Court of Claims
DecidedFebruary 15, 2011
DocketClaim No. 117121
StatusPublished

This text of 41 Misc. 3d 919 (Central Connecticut Aircraft, LLC v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Central Connecticut Aircraft, LLC v. State, 41 Misc. 3d 919, 972 N.Y.S.2d 390 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Frank P. Milano, J.

Defendant moves for summary judgment dismissing this claim [920]*920which alleges that defendant breached an alleged express warranty to claimant that a tax auction at which claimant purchased an aircraft had been conducted “in the manner provided by law.” Claimant cross-moves for summary judgment.

On April 17, 2008, defendant, through an auction agent, conducted a public tax compliance auction to sell its interest in an A46 Bonanza Beechcraft Aircraft (Aircraft). Prior to April 17, 2008, Robert Mark (judgment debtor) held title to the Aircraft subject to a security interest held by Iowa Trust & Savings Bank which had been perfected by filing the security agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on February 12, 2001.

In January of 2002, Iowa Trust & Savings Bank changed its name to First National Bank Midwest (Bank) and filed a notice of name change with the FAA. The Bank’s address and telephone number were unchanged.

On December 8, 2003, defendant filed a tax warrant against the judgment debtor with the Suffolk County (New York) Clerk in the amount of $446,630.03. On February 29, 2008, defendant filed a tax lien against the Aircraft with the FAA.

In February of 2008, defendant’s Tax Compliance Agent Michael Carney contacted the FAA to request ownership and lien information regarding the Aircraft. Carney learned of a potential “third party interest in the aircraft” held by Iowa Trust & Savings Bank of Oskaloosa, Iowa. Carney “attempted to contact the Iowa Trust & Savings Bank of Oskaloosa but there was no such bank in Oskaloosa, Iowa. There was an Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg, Iowa.” Carney spoke with an officer of the Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg, Iowa, and was advised that it had no lien on the Aircraft or loan with the judgment debtor. Carney served an information subpoena on the Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg, Iowa, and was again advised in a written statement that the Iowa Trust & Savings Bank in Emmetsburg, Iowa, had no lien on the Aircraft or loan with the judgment debtor.

Carney also requested and received from the FAA “the original ‘Blue Ribbon’ copy of records on file with the Federal Aviation Administration concerning the aircraft up to April 10, 2008.” Carney found that the “official ‘Blue Ribbon’ records received from the Federal Aviation Administration did not mention the First National Bank Midwest, nor was it mentioned that Iowa Trust & Savings Bank changed its name.”

[921]*921On March 13, 2008, Carney issued a “Tax Compliance Agent’s Sale” notice which offered for sale, on April 17, 2008, “all right, title and interest of . . . Robert Mark” in the Aircraft.

On March 28, 2008, the tax auction involving the Aircraft was advertised by defendant via the New York State Office of General Services website in the “Aviation Classifieds” and the advertisement included the following language:

“NYS Dept, of Taxation & Finance, the Auctioneer & their representatives do not guarantee the accuracy of any of the descriptions or any other information pertaining to the sale of this aircraft. All prospective bidders are urged to perform their own due diligence prior to participating in the public auction sale.”

William Bergenty, the sole owner of claimant, learned of the tax auction through “a friend of mine from out west [who] tracks airplanes and saw it on line for sale. It was on — put up — it was on the computer.” William Bergenty then looked up the website announcement online. Bergenty also recalled at his deposition that the auction agent’s online announcement stated that the auction sale was “as is and where is without any warranty” and that the announcement advised prospective buyers to conduct their own due diligence prior to the sale.

William Bergenty testified that he had bought and sold more than 50 aircraft at auction over the 35 years he had operated Central Connecticut Aircraft. William Bergenty further testified that he had never checked with either the FAA or an aircraft title search company prior to purchasing an airplane at auction. Bergenty testified that ordering a lien/title search prior to the auction sale would have cost “[p]robably 200 bucks.” William Bergenty testified that after the sale, he requested and obtained a title report “within 12 hours,” which revealed the Bank lien, although it appears from Bergenty’s testimony that the initial title report received by Bergenty continued to name Iowa Trust & Savings Bank as the lienholder rather than First National Bank Midwest. Finally, William Bergenty testified that he understood prior to the tax auction that defendant was selling Robert Mark’s “rights and interest in that airplane . . . [w]hatever his equity was in the airplane they were selling.”

William Bergenty sent his son, Adam Bergenty, to the tax auction on April 17, 2008 to bid on the Aircraft.

After the auction agent announced the terms and conditions of the sale on April 17, 2008, John McCauley, an assistant [922]*922manager with the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, read aloud to the bidders the “Opening Remarks for Sale of Seized Property” and certified in writing that same day that he had read the document aloud. The “Opening Remarks for Sale of Seized Property” read aloud to the bidders prior to the sale provided at relevant part as follows:

“[Defendant offers for sale] all right, title, and interest of Robert Mark in and to the property seized . . . and such interest is offered subject to any prior outstanding mortgages, encumbrances or other liens or claims of title or right by or in favor of third parties which are valid as against . . . Robert Mark and are superior to the lien of the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance of the State of New York.
“The property will be sold ‘as is’ and ‘where is’ and without recourse against the State of New York. The State makes no guarantee or warranty, expressed or implied, as to the validity of the title, quantity, weight, size, or condition of any of the property or its fitness for any use or purpose. No claim will be considered for allowance or adjustment or for rescission of the sale based upon failure of the property to conform with any representation, expressed or implied.”

William Bergenty’s son, Adam Bergenty, attended the tax auction on behalf of claimant. Adam Bergenty had bid on aircraft on prior occasions. He recalled that about 20 people attended the auction but only he and one other attendee bid on the Aircraft. Adam Bergenty “vaguely” remembered hearing the “Opening Remarks for Sale of Seized Property” being read aloud prior to bidding.

Adam Bergenty made the winning bid of $75,000 at the tax auction. After paying the purchase price, he was provided a “Certificate of Sale of Personalty” signed by both parties on April 17, 2008 and took possession of the Aircraft. The “Certificate of Sale of Personalty” provided at relevant part as follows:

“Whereas, due to public notice of the time and place of sale of the right, title, and interest of the judgment debtor in the aforesaid personal property having been given, we hereby certify that we did on the 17th day of April 2008, in the manner provided by law, at public auction, sell all of the rights, title, and interest of the judgment debtor in the aforesaid personal property . . .

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
41 Misc. 3d 919, 972 N.Y.S.2d 390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/central-connecticut-aircraft-llc-v-state-nyclaimsct-2011.