Mitra Koohi Iman Koohi, Minor Daughter Kosar Koohi, Minor Daughter Hassan Almassi Iran Air Flight 655 v. United States of America United States Department of Navy, Elizabeth H. Bailey, as the Personal Representative v. Varian Associates, Inc. General Electric Co. Ge Aerospace Rca Corp Harnischfeger Industries Syscon Corp. Computer Sciences Corporation John Connor

976 F.2d 1328 1994 A.M.C. 1514 , 61 USLW 2233 Mitra KOOHI; Iman Koohi, minor daughter; Kosar Koohi, minor daughter; Hassan Almassi; Iran Air Flight 655, Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. UNITED STATES of America; United States Department of Navy, Defendants-Appellees. Elizabeth H. BAILEY, as the personal representative, et al., Plaintiffs-Appellants, v. VARIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.; General Electric Co.; GE Aerospace; RCA Corp; Harnischfeger Industries; Syscon Corp.; Computer Sciences Corporation; John Connor, Defendants-Appellees. Nos. 90-16107, 90-16159. United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. Argued and Submitted Feb. 11, 1992. Decided Oct. 8, 1992. Bruce A. Bailey, Burlingame, Cal., for plaintiffs-appellants. Jeffrey Clair, U.S. Dept. of Justice, Washington, D.C., and Matthew D. Powers, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, San Francisco, Cal., for defendants-appellees. Robert W. Hallock, James K. Meguerian, D'Ancona & Pflaum, Chicago, Ill., for Syscon Corp. Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Before: SCHROEDER, REINHARDT, and KLEINFELD, Circuit Judges. REINHARDT, Circuit Judge: 1 The tragedy that gives rise to this lawsuit--the…