Missouri Regional Carriers Dinged For Nearly $2.5 Million For Maintenance Issues

The FAA is proposing $2,476,075 in civil penalties against Trans States Airlines and GoJet Airlines of Bridgeton, Mo., for violation of various maintenance procedures and operating nine jets on 320 revenue passenger flights when the aircraft were not in compliance with FARs. Trans States Airlines and GoJet Airlines are both owned and operated by Trans States Holdings. Trans States Airlines performs maintenance and training on GoJet aircraft.

The proposed civil penalties involve seven GoJet Canadair Regional Jets and two Trans States Embraer 145 regional jets. The FAA alleges Trans States and GoJet operated aircraft when maintenance had been carried out incorrectly, and that the company failed to complete required maintenance record-keeping.

The FAA alleges Trans States and GoJet violated a number of maintenance regulations and procedures, including use of outdated manufacturers' maintenance instructions to perform repairs; failure to connect a wing flap actuator to its torque tube, rendering the flaps inoperative; failure to document an inspection after an aircraft was damaged by severe turbulence; failure to document and carry out proper repairs after aircraft warning systems identified problems; improper repair of an engine oil leak and failure to comply with minimum equipment list regulations.

"Air carriers cannot ignore maintenance requirements or allow employees to take a pass on following regulations," said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "Safety depends not only on maintenance work being done correctly, but also being recorded properly."

In another matter, the FAA is proposing civil penalties totaling $422,500 against two Indian companies for violation of U.S. Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations. The FAA alleged that IIS & Allied Services, and its freight forwarder, Gallant Freight & Travels Private, Limited of Mumbai, India, offered a shipment containing depleted uranium, a radioactive material, to British Airways for air transport from Mumbai to Boston, June 7, 2008, without declaring the hazardous nature of its contents. The shipment flew as cargo on a passenger-carrying flight. British Airways employees at its cargo center in Boston discovered the radioactive material June 16 when the bottom of the outer packaging failed and separated from the rest of the crate.

The companies allegedly offered the hazardous material for transportation when it was not packaged, marked, classed, described, labeled or in condition for shipment as required by regulations. Radioactive materials, with some exceptions, may not be shipped as cargo aboard passenger aircraft.

The proposed civil penalty for IIS & Allied Services is $227,500; and for Gallant Freight, $195,000.

The parties in both instances have 30 days to respond to the FAA's proposed fines.

FMI: www.faa.gov