Boeing Settles With Pilot In Aloha Accident

HONOLULU - The Boeing Co. and the pilot of an Aloha Airlines jet that lost part of its fuselage in flight have reached an out-of-court settlement of the pilot's lawsuit.

Details of yesterday's settlement weren't revealed.

The deal was announced three days before the case was scheduled to go to trial in Circuit Court.

The lawsuit was filed by pilot Robert Schornstheimer, 45, and his wife, Mary, against Boeing. The pilot charged the maker of the plane with negligence, product liability and breach of contract, saying he suffered flashbacks, stress, emotional upheavals and loss of enjoyment of life because of the accident.

Schornstheimer was the pilot of Aloha Flight 243, which was headed from Hilo to Honolulu on April 28, 1988, when part of the fuselage blew off while the plane was flying at 24,000 feet.

Schornstheimer and co-pilot Mimi Tompkins were able to land the jet at Kahului Airport 15 minutes after the incident.

A flight attendant died in the accident and about 60 other people were injured.