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CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST MATTEL OVER “LITTLE CADET FLYER” AIRPLANE EL SEGUNDO, CA —The Mattel corporation, long-time maker of such familiar toys as the Barbie doll and G. I. Joe, as well as products by its subsidiary, Fisher-Price toys, faces what may prove to be the largest class action lawsuit in history. Mattel began manufacture of the “Little Cadet Flyer” airplane in June of 1998. The Little Cadet is an actual functioning airplane designed to be flown by children between the ages of six and eight, and is capable of airspeeds of 80 m.p.h. and altitudes of over five hundred feet. At just over $900.00, it proved to be a big seller in the 1998 Christmas season. However, it was soon determined that the average child was incapable of handling the miniature aircraft safely. After several national news stories of juvenile fatalities and serious injuries, Mattel quickly halted production of the top-seller and recalled the product. James Simpson, 43, of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, says that the pressure to purchase the Little Cadet as a Christmas gift for his son, Tommy, was immense. “It was all the rage, and every boy on our block hoped to have one. We knew as soon as we saw it advertised that Tommy would clamor for one of his own.” But an exciting Christmas morning quickly turned tragic for the Simpsons. Simpson says that, though he had read the instruction manual and carefully explained the controls to his son, the boy apparently did not fully comprehend the workings of an actual aircraft. “Tommy accelerated the plane, raced across the playground, climbed to an altitude of thirty or forty feet, and then just spun in. If only we would have known.” The result, says Simpson, is that the boy now suffers from a permanent loss of mobility. But the Simpson’s tragic story was multiplied at least a hundredfold, as children across the nation crashed into the earth on that tragic Christmas day. And some were not as fortunate as Tommy Simpson. “Our son Billy was nine at the time—a little old for the toy, perhaps, but also better prepared to fly it. Or so we thought,” says Melissa McPherson, 39, of Sandstone, Wyoming. According to McPherson, Billy spent most of that morning logging several hours of flight time. “He kept making passes at where we sat, watching and waving, and we could see that he grew in confidence with every pass. On the final pass, he attempted his first barrel roll, but just couldn’t pull it off.” A fatal crash left the boy’s plane strewn across the field. “If only the Mattel Corporation had placed a ‘no barrel roll’ warning on the instrument panel, we might still have Billy with us today,” McPherson said. Mattel executives could not be reached for comment. muddle's blog | login to post comments
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