"Cutting Corners: FAA proposes $2.5 million in civil penalties against United, Atlantic Coast"

Monday, June 7, 2004

FAA proposes $2.5 million in civil penalties against United, Atlantic
Coast 
The Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing $2.5
million in civil penalties against Atlantic Coast Airlines and United
Airlines for violating regulations. 

Under the proposal Monday, the FAA alleges both airlines failed to
follow required maintenance actions on specific aircraft and operated
those planes when they weren't in compliance with regulations. 

In the case of Atlantic Coast, now operating as Independence Air, the
FAA proposes a $1.5 million penalty, saying the airline operated several
of its aircraft without performing mandatory inspections of engines,
airframes and other components. 

The agency said the airline failed to maintain its aircraft in according
to Atlantic Coast's FAA-approved maintenance program. The FAA also
claims Chantilly, Va.-based Atlantic Coast did not have a properly
functioning inspection program and did not keep appropriate maintenance
records on its aircraft. 

Atlantic Coast "has taken immediate remedial steps to comply with
maintenance, inspection and record-keeping requirements," the agency
said. 

The FAA proposed a $1 million penalty against United, based in Elk Grove
Village, Ill. 

The airline operated a Boeing 777 on about 263 flights in 2001 during
which the escape slides would have been unusable during an emergency
evacuation, the FAA said. An investigation found that safety maintenance
pins installed in all eight of the plane's emergency escape slides
caused the problem. 

United spokeswoman Chris Nardella said the airline is cooperating with
the FAA investigation but was "disappointed that the amount of the fines
are so significant since United took corrective action."


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