Hemmert Agricultural Aviation, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp.

663 F. Supp. 1546, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 726, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6222
CourtDistrict Court, D. Kansas
DecidedJuly 2, 1987
DocketCiv. A. 85-6125-C
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 663 F. Supp. 1546 (Hemmert Agricultural Aviation, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hemmert Agricultural Aviation, Inc. v. Mid-Continent Aircraft Corp., 663 F. Supp. 1546, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 726, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6222 (D. Kan. 1987).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WESLEY E. BROWN, Senior District Judge.

This is a diversity action wherein plaintiff seeks to revoke acceptance and to recover damages arising from its purchase of an agricultural spray plane from the defendant. After hearing the witnesses’ testimony and counsels’ arguments, examining the evidence and researching the law, the court makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law as required by Fed.R.Civ.P. 52.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Hemmert Agricultural Aviation, Inc. (“Hemmert Ag”), is a Kansas corporation engaged in the business of agricultural spraying, primarily commercial crop dusting and fertilizer application. Hemmert Ag generally operates within a forty mile radius of Oakley, Kansas, and its typical spray season runs from the first of May until the middle of September each year.

2. Mark Hemmert (Hemmert) is the President and sole stockholder of Hemmert Ag. He is presently 31 years old. He has fifteen years of general flying experience and approximately ten years of agricultural spraying experience. He personally does most of the flying for Hemmert Ag, but occasionally other pilots and planes are hired on a temporary basis.

3. Defendant, Mid-Continent Aircraft Corporation (Mid-Continent), is a Missouri corporation in Hayti, Missouri, engaged in the business of commercial crop dusting and aircraft sales. Mid-Continent is an authorized dealer of Ag-Cat spray planes. Ag-Cat spray planes were initially manufactured by Grumman, but the current manufacturer is Schweizer Aircraft Corporation.

4. Richard Reade is the President and principal stockholder of Mid-Continent.

5. In 1980, Hemmert purchased a 1977 used “B” model Schweizer Ag-Cat. This plane was the trade-in when the plane in issue was purchased. This 1977 “B” had a 300 gallon hopper and a larger tail and *1547 vertical fin than the Model G-164B Ag-Cat 600 Super “B” plane (Super “B”), which is the plane in issue. The Super “B” had a 400 gallon hopper and a raised upper wing. From reading advertisements and talking with Reade, Hemmert believed the raised wing on the Super “B” made it faster and more maneuverable and improved visibility. Terrell Kirk, an engineer and test pilot with Schweizer, testified the raised wing was primarily for visibility purposes.

6. In 1984, Hemmert called Mid-Continent, as he was interested in trading in his 1977 “B” Ag Cat for a new and bigger plane, Super “B”.

7. In August 1985, Hemmert again contacted Mid-Continent, in particular Richard Reade, about purchasing the Super “B”. While satisfied with the performance of his 1977 “B” Ag Cat, he had been having a good year and wanted a plane that was faster to the field, more maneuverable and more productive. Hemmert’s trade-in was in good condition other than needing some routine maintenance. Hemmert purchased the Super “B” believing it would make his work easier, safer and more profitable. Another reason for the timing of the purchase was that Hemmert hoped to take advantage of the investment tax credit.

8. Hemmert’s belief that a Super “B” was more maneuverable than his 1977 Ag-Cat “B” was based in part on an advertisement for the 450 “B” (Plaintiff’s Ex. 4), which stated in part: “New raised wing design means more maneuverability; more visibility; more speed.” The 450 “B” described in defendant’s Exhibit 38 differs from the Super “B” 600 hp. only in horsepower, hopper size, and length (4 inches). In fact, defendant’s Exhibit 39, a Schweizer advertisement brochure stamped with defendant’s name and address, explains the Super “B” is powered by either a 450 or 600 horsepower engine. The 450 “B” is identical to the 600 hp. Super “B” in almost all relevant respects, except for engine size and hopper capacity.

9. Hemmert testified that during the telephone conversation in early August 1985, Richard Reade represented the Super “B” to be faster, more maneuverable, and having better visibility than his 1977 Ag-Cat “B”. Reade denied that these representations were made and stated that he only represented the Super “B” as more productive.

10. The parties struck their bargain over the telephone on August 6, 1985. Reade promised Hemmert that the Super “B” would be delivered in Oakley, Kansas, on or before August 9, 1985, and that the Super “B” would be ready to spray when it was delivered. Hemmert also believed the Super “B” would arrive equipped with aileron servos, an EGT gauge and a push-to-talk switch. The plane was sold to plaintiff for $128,000.00 total, $75,500.00 in cash plus Hemmert’s trade-in. On August 6, 1985, Hemmert instructed the bank to wire the defendant the sum of $40,000.00.

11. The original engine that was in the Super “B” purchased by plaintiff was a 600 horsepower Pratt & Whitney engine overhauled by the Aero Company. This engine was replaced in Hayti, Missouri, with a Pratt & Whitney engine overhauled by the Thompson Company. Reade’s notes on 8-5-85 show opposite the price, “Cat with Thompson eng.” Mid-Continent discovered problems with the oil pressure in the Thompson engine. The Super “B” was flown from Hayti, Missouri, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the engine was repaired by the company that did the overhaul. Reade apprised Hemmert of the engine problems, and it was agreed the problems should be corrected before delivery.

12. After the repairs were made in Tulsa, Ed Zeeman, a ferry pilot, delivered the Super “B” to Hemmert Ag in Oakley, Kansas, on August 20, 1985. Zeeman arrived in Oakley late in the afternoon, and he was in a hurry to return that afternoon with plaintiff’s trade-in.

13. Even though his bank was closed, by the time Zeeman arrived on August 20, 1985, Hemmert was able to get a cashier’s check for $35,000.00 payable to Mid-Continent. Zeeman asked Hemmert to sign the purchase order and delivery receipt, which he did after looking over the plane. Zee-man left early the next morning around 5:30 A.M. Due to time and inclement *1548 weather conditions, plaintiff was unable to try the plane before Zeeman’s departure.

14. Hemmert merely glanced at the Purchase Order and Delivery Receipt before signing them. Immediately above Hemmert’s signature the following printed language appears:

“The undersigned PURCHASER agrees that he has read and that he understands the provisions set out on the reverse side and that the same are included in and are a part of this Aircraft Purchase Order all as if fully set forth on the face hereof.”

Toward the top of the purchase order, the following printed language is also found:

“The undersigned agrees to complete the contract and accept delivery as stated in the terms, conditions, warranty and limitations of liability printed on the reverse side of this order.”

On the backside of the purchase order, the warranty provided by Schweizer Aircraft Corp. is set forth, following which it states:

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663 F. Supp. 1546, 4 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 726, 1987 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6222, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hemmert-agricultural-aviation-inc-v-mid-continent-aircraft-corp-ksd-1987.