Keenan

This court has been presented with two petitions for extraordinary relief in five related actions arising out of injuries and deaths in an airplane crash. The legal issues here relate to a conflict between the order of one Los Angeles Superior Court judge for coordination of the five cases under Code of Civil Procedure section 404 et seq. and the order of another judge changing venue for three of the cases.

In this opinion all references to sections are to the Code of Civil Procedure. All rule citations refer to the California Rules of Court.

The five underlying actions arose out of the 1977 crash of a Piper aircraft while taking off from South Lake Tahoe Airport in El Dorado County on its return flight to El Monte Airport in Los Angeles County. The pilot and one passenger were killed; the surviving three passengers were injured. The pilot and three passengers were residents of Los Angeles County, where the aircraft had been maintained and leased for the flight, and one passenger resided in San Diego County.

These actions will be identified by the names of the respective plaintiffs. Actions by Tobin and Peterson were filed in Los Angeles County. An action by Long was…