Fri, Mar 19, 2010
Second Large Penalty Proposed In Six Days Against The
Airline
The FAA announced Thursday that it is proposing a $300,000
civil penalty on American Airlines for a maintenance violation. It
is the second such civil penalty proposed in the past six days.
The FAA alleges that on Feb. 2, 2009, American Airlines
mechanics deferred maintenance on a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 under
the airline’s DC-9 Minimum Equipment List (MEL) by noting
that the “pitot/stall heater light off” light on the
aircraft’s annunciator panel was inoperative.
However, maintenance personnel determined the next day that the
inoperative part was actually the captain’s pitot probe
heater. Pitot probes are mounted on the exterior surfaces of an
airplane and are used in measuring airspeed. Because they can be
affected by a build-up of ice, these devices are equipped with
heaters. The airplane’s MEL allows for maintenance on the
pitot probe heater to be deferred, but it restricts flights to
daytime only, in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). It
prohibits flights into known or forecast icing or visible
moisture.
Because mechanics logged the discrepancy as an inoperative
panel light, the flight crew was unaware that the daytime, VMC
restrictions applied to further flights. The aircraft was operated
on five passenger revenue flights, in violation of Federal Aviation
Regulations.
"We expect full compliance with all of our maintenance
standards," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "Safety is our
top concern. Maintenance personnel must pay attention to every
detail when they are working on an aircraft."
Just six days ago, the FAA proposed over three-quarters of a
million dollars in civil penalties against American for maintenance
violations.
American Airlines has 30 days from the receipt of the
FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.
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