SEATTLE - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $450,000 civil penalty against SkyWest Airlines, Inc. of St. George, Utah, for allegedly operating aircraft that were not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.
The FAA alleges SkyWest failed to perform proper maintenance on air conditioning units in three Bombardier CL-600 jets and on the auxiliary generator in one Embraer EMB-120 turbo-prop plane following pilot reports of problems with those systems. One of the CL-600 jets depressurized due to an air conditioning unit failure, resulting in the deployment of passenger oxygen masks and an emergency descent, the agency alleges.
The FAA alleges that SkyWest operated the four aircraft on a total of 15 flights when they were not in an airworthy condition.
“Adhering to proper maintenance procedures is critical to ensuring safe flight," said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “Failing to do so can have serious safety implications."
SkyWest has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
