Continental Airlines, Inc. v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, B.F. Goodrich Co., Cleveland Pneumatic, Inc. And Air Treads, Inc., McDonnell Douglas Corporation v. Continental Airlines, Inc., and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Cleveland Pneumatic, Inc., Sargent Industries, Inc.

819 F.2d 1519 8 Fed.R.Serv.3d 459 CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC., Plaintiff-Appellant, v. GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, B.F. Goodrich Co., Cleveland Pneumatic, Inc. and Air Treads, Inc., Defendants-Appellees. McDONNELL DOUGLAS CORPORATION, Plaintiff-Appellee v. CONTINENTAL AIRLINES, INC., Defendant-Appellant, and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Cleveland Pneumatic, Inc., Sargent Industries, Inc., Defendants-Appellees. Nos. 85-6367, 85-6414, 86-6047 and 86-6195. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued Feb. 5, 1987. Submitted April 14, 1987. Decided June 23, 1987. Gregory A. Long, Los Angeles, Cal., for plaintiff-appellant. Thomas C. Walsh, Joseph E. Gregorich, Robert W. King, Los Angeles, Cal., Darrell A. Forgey, San Diego, Cal., for defendants-appellees. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Central District of California. Before SNEED, FARRIS and NOONAN, Circuit Judges. SNEED, Circuit Judge: 1 These cases arise in the aftermath of a serious accident involving a Continental Airlines DC-10 aircraft. We must decide, among other issues, whether an exculpatory clause in the contract of sale between Continental and the aircraft's manufacturer,…