U.S. Prosecutors Allege Safety Violations by American Airlines, Seek Penalties
Sep 8, 2005, 3:16 pm
#1
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U.S. Prosecutors Allege Safety Violations by American Airlines, Seek Penalties
I just saw this piece of news after the posting about AA not being listed in IATA's Operational Safety Audit...creepy.
Full article here
NEW YORK (AP) -- American Airlines put its passengers at risk and violated multiple federal air-safety regulations in 2003 by allowing one of its jets to fly with a leaky fuel tank, according to a civil complaint filed by the U.S. attorney's office in Brooklyn.
[...]
The complaint alleges that on Nov. 17, 2003, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector was a passenger on an American flight from Orlando, Fla., to New York's La Guardia Airport when he saw fuel leaking from a wing of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82.
The inspector warned the flight crew about the leak and demanded it be recorded in the aircraft's maintenance log. However, "no such entry was made by the pilot or maintenance personnel," the complaint said.
American allowed the "unsafe and un-airworthy" jet to take 53 commercial flights over two weeks before it was repaired during a regularly scheduled maintenance check, the complaint said.
[...]
[...]
The complaint alleges that on Nov. 17, 2003, a Federal Aviation Administration inspector was a passenger on an American flight from Orlando, Fla., to New York's La Guardia Airport when he saw fuel leaking from a wing of the McDonnell Douglas MD-82.
The inspector warned the flight crew about the leak and demanded it be recorded in the aircraft's maintenance log. However, "no such entry was made by the pilot or maintenance personnel," the complaint said.
American allowed the "unsafe and un-airworthy" jet to take 53 commercial flights over two weeks before it was repaired during a regularly scheduled maintenance check, the complaint said.
[...]
Sep 8, 2005, 3:36 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2004
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You've got to take into account the source....
The AGs up here sue everybody - it's in style now. Throw enough stuff on the way, something sticks
The AGs up here sue everybody - it's in style now. Throw enough stuff on the way, something sticks
Sep 8, 2005, 3:49 pm
#3
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I don't see AA doing this. It is very likely he got ticked because someone at the airline didn't upgrade him or they ran out of BOB's on the flight.
Sep 8, 2005, 4:16 pm
#4
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Flying around a plae pouring out fuel isn't just unsafe, it's a waste of money as $2/gal streams out of the tank... I really don't believe that AA would even want to fly around with a leaky fuel tank. That said, I would not be surprised if the FAA employee didn't know what he was talking about. Yes, there may have been some fuel coming out - airplanes are equipped with relief tubes so that an overfilled tank will vent rather than building up pressure - I would bet that this is what the passenger saw. If the crew determined that to be the problem, it wouldn't require a writeup or any corrective action. Nothing in the article proves that there was a leak to begin with, other than an eyewitness account that may or may not have actually been anything.
Sep 9, 2005, 10:10 pm
#5
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American sued over fuel leak
Airline disputes FAA, saying passengers were never endangered
08:54 PM CDT on Thursday, September 8, 2005
By CRAYTON HARRISON / The Dallas Morning News
Excerpt:
Airline disputes FAA, saying passengers were never endangered
08:54 PM CDT on Thursday, September 8, 2005
By CRAYTON HARRISON / The Dallas Morning News
Excerpt:
Federal prosecutors have filed a $1 million lawsuit against American Airlines Inc., saying that the carrier disregarded passenger safety in its handling of a reported fuel leak.
The lawsuit, filed this week and made public Thursday, claims American failed to sufficiently inspect and repair a leak observed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector in November 2003.
The FAA proposed a $605,000 penalty last year to settle the matter. But Fort Worth-based American said the penalty wasn't warranted.
The lawsuit, filed this week and made public Thursday, claims American failed to sufficiently inspect and repair a leak observed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector in November 2003.
The FAA proposed a $605,000 penalty last year to settle the matter. But Fort Worth-based American said the penalty wasn't warranted.