Noland v. Wilmington Savings Bank (In re D & K Aviation, Inc.)

349 B.R. 169, 2006 Bankr. LEXIS 2075, 47 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedSeptember 1, 2006
DocketBankruptcy No. 03-38974; Adversary No. 05-3060
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 349 B.R. 169 (Noland v. Wilmington Savings Bank (In re D & K Aviation, Inc.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Noland v. Wilmington Savings Bank (In re D & K Aviation, Inc.), 349 B.R. 169, 2006 Bankr. LEXIS 2075, 47 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20 (Ohio 2006).

Opinion

DECISION DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

LAWRENCE S. WALTER, Bankruptcy Judge.

The court has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 157(a) and 1334, and the standing General Order of Reference in this District. This matter is before the court on the motion for partial summary judgment filed by Plaintiff Trustee Thomas R. Noland [Adv. Doc. 36]; the responsive memorandum filed in opposition by Defendant Wilmington Savings Bank [Adv. Doc. 45]; and Plaintiffs reply memorandum [Adv. Doc. 64].

The Trustee seeks to avoid a prepetition security interest held by Wilmington Savings Bank in the Debtor’s 3/8th interest in an airplane and to avoid and recover post-petition payments on the secured debt. Essentially, the Trustee alleges that a postpetition loan transaction between the Debtor, the Debtor’s principals, and Wilmington Savings Bank was not a renewal or consolidation of the secured prepetition obligation, but was a new distinct loan or novation that paid off the prepetition loan and consequently released the security in[172]*172terest. Further, the Trustee argues that the loan documents themselves manifest the parties’ intent to create a new loan and that the parol evidence rule prevents any extrinsic evidence to the contrary.

The court determines that the parol evidence rule is inapplicable and that there remain genuine issues of material fact, particularly with respect to the intent of the parties. Therefore, the Trustee’s motion for partial summary judgment must be denied.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The parties have filed an “Agreed Stipulation of Facts” [Adv. Doc. 44] as well as an “Agreed Stipulation” [Adv. Doc. 34] pertaining to the admissibility of numerous documents. These stipulated facts together with the content of the documents provide the primary factual basis for the court’s decision, supplemented by uncontested facts contained in various pleadings and schedules in the record. A summary of those facts, organized chronologically, is set forth below.

D & K Aviation, Inc. (“D & K”)1, a Delaware' corporation, is the debtor and defendant in this proceeding. More than three years prior to its chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, D & K executed and delivered to Wilmington Savings Bank (“WSB”) a “HomeLine” Note dated July 19, 2000, bearing account number 70253411, in the principal amount of $2,100,000.00, with an interest rate of 9.5% per annum, and a maturity date of July 19, 2003 (“Note 411”). Lee F. Webb, the principal shareholder and treasurer of D & K, signed a personal guaranty of Note 411. The proceeds of Note 411 were to purchase a 3/8th interest in an airplane. Consequently, on the same date, D & K also executed a Security Agreement (the “411 Agreement”) identifying a “Cessna Citation Bravo FAA Registration # N417KW, Aircraft Serial # 550-0933” (the “Airplane”) as the collateral securing repayment of Note 411. D & K also executed an Aircraft Security Agreement dated July 19, 2000 which was properly recorded2 with the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”). This lien was not released until D & K’s interest in the Airplane was subject to an Agreed Order entered November 24, 2004 [Case Doc. 156] to sell the Airplane pursuant to § 363(f) of the Bankruptcy Code.

D & K also executed and delivered to WSB a “Universal” Note dated August 1, 2000, bearing account number 70553445, in the principal amount of $400,000.00, with an interest rate of 9.75% per annum, and a maturity date of December 1, 2000 (later extended to July 15, 2001) (“Note 445”). The note was guaranteed by Lee F. Webb but was otherwise unsecured.

Lee Webb and his wife, Janet Webb (the “Webbs”), personally borrowed $200,000.00 from WSB as evidenced by a “Home Equity Line of Credit” note dated March 20, 2002, bearing account number 70254807, with interest charged at the prime rate, and a maturity of April 26, 2012 (“Note 807”). This note was secured by a properly recorded “Open-End Mortgage” on the Webbs’ residence located at 331 Todd’s Ridge Road, Wilmington, Ohio.

D & K filed its petition under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on October 14, 2003 (the “D & K Bankruptcy”). No cash collateral order was ever entered in the case in favor of WSB. A chapter 11 plan was proposed but not confirmed, and the [173]*173case was converted to a case under chapter 7 on August 18, 2004. WSB filed two proofs of claim in the bankruptcy case on February 3, 2004. One cited Note 411 with a balance due of $2,098,020.05 secured by the Airplane. The other cited Note 445 with an unsecured balance of $252,70.20.

Of particular importance to this case is another “Home Equity Line of Credit” note executed and delivered to WSB by the Webbs subsequent to the filing of the D & K Bankruptcy. This note was dated February 7, 2004, bore account number 71250002, had a credit limit of $2,650,000, charged interest at the prime rate plus two percent per annum but never lower than six percent per annum, and had a maturity date of February 12, 2007 (“Note 002”). D & K was neither an obligor nor guarantor of Note 002. However, Lee F. Webb, signing on behalf of D & K in his capacity as treasurer of the corporation, executed and delivered to WSB a “Commercial Security Agreement” dated February 7, 2004 specifying the Airplane as security for Note 002 (the “002 Agreement”). The 002 Agreement was not filed or registered with the FAA and no FAA form “Aircraft Security Agreement” was executed with respect to Note 002.

The Airplane was not the only collateral referenced by the 002 Agreement. In fact, both Note 002 and the 002 Agreement contain specific references to “Exhibit A” and “Exhibit B” as containing descriptions of the property serving as security. The exhibits attached to each document are identical. Exhibit B is merely a legal description relative to one of the items listed on Exhibit A. Exhibit A, fully transcribed below, purports to describe all of the security for Note 002:

EXHIBIT A
SECURITY DESCRIPTIONS
PROPERTY 1: 311 TODDS RIDGE ROAD, WILMINGTON, OHIO 45177
PROPERTY 2: 7949 HICKORY avenue, RUS-SELLS POINT, OHIO 43348
SECURITY: ASSIGNMENT OF MORTGAGE AT 1665 WEST MAIN STREET, WILMINGTON, OHIO, MORTGAGE RECORDED AT VOLUME 222, PAGE 342, OFFICIAL RECORDS, CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO RECORDER, DATED FEBRUARY 7, 1997
SECURITY: ASSIGNMENT OF LEASE AT A SPECIFIC HANGAR AT CLINTON COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY, 1581 NORTH CURRY ROAD, WILMINGON, OHIO, LEASE RECORDED AT VOLUME 276, PAGE 268, OFFICIAL RECORDS, CLINTON COUNTY, OHIO RECORDER, DATED FEBRUARY 27, 2002, see “exhibit b” for legal DESCRIPTION.
SECURITY: UNDIVIDED 3/8 OWNERSHIP, CESSNA CITATION BRAVO 550, FAA REGISTRATION # N417KW, AIRCRAFT SERIAL # 550-0933
SECURITY: UNDIVIDED 3/8 OWNERSHIP, ENGINE — LEFT—PRATT-WHITNEY, MODEL PW530a, SERIAL # PCE-DA0280
SECURITY: UNDIVIDED 3/8 OWNERSHIP, ENGINE — RIGHT—PRATT-WHITNEY, MODEL pw530a, serial # pce-da0278

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
349 B.R. 169, 2006 Bankr. LEXIS 2075, 47 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/noland-v-wilmington-savings-bank-in-re-d-k-aviation-inc-ohsb-2006.