Air Navigation and Transport Act, 1936

Survival of cause of action in respect of loss or damage caused by aircraft to persons and property on land or water.

23.—(1) This section applies to every cause of action in respect of loss or damage which, after the commencement of this Chapter of this Part of this Act, is caused to persons or property on land or water, by, or by a person in, or an article or person falling from, an aircraft while in flight, taking off, or landing.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this section, on the death of any person after the commencement of this Chapter of this Part of this Act, every cause of action to which this section applies subsisting against, or vested in him, shall survive (as the case may be) against, or for the benefit of his estate.

(3) Where—

(a) a cause of action to which this section applies survives, by virtue of the immediately preceding sub-section, for the benefit of the estate of a deceased person, and

(b) the death of such person has been caused by the circumstances which gave rise to such cause of action,

the damage recoverable for the benefit of his estate shall be calculated without reference to any loss or gain to his estate consequent on his death, except that a sum in respect of funeral expenses may be included.

(4) No proceedings shall be maintainable in respect of a cause of action which, by virtue of this section, has survived against the estate of a deceased person unless either—

(a) proceedings against him in respect of such cause of action were pending at the date of his death, or

(b) such cause of action arises not earlier than six months before his death and proceedings are taken in respect thereof not later than six months after his personal representative took out administration.

(5) Where damage has been suffered by reason of any circumstances by reason of which a cause of action to which this section applies would have subsisted against any person if that person had not died before or at the same time as the damage was suffered, there shall be deemed, for the purposes of this section, to have been subsisting against him before his death such cause of action by reason of those circumstances as would have subsisted if he had died after the damage was suffered.

(6) In the event of the insolvency of an estate against which proceedings are maintainable by virtue of this section, any liability in respect of the cause of the action in respect of which such proceedings are maintainable, shall be deemed to be a debt provable in the administration of the estate, notwithstanding that it is a demand in the nature of unliquidated damages arising otherwise than by contract or promise.