FAA proposes almost $1 million fine for Alaska Airlines

From staff and wire reports

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration proposed Monday fining Alaska Airlines almost $1 million for what it said were maintenance violations and for flying planes in violation of federal aviation regulations.

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In one instance, the government agency alleges that Alaska Airlines returned an MD-80 jetliner to service on April 12 without repairing problems that had been discovered in a maintenance check. Among the problems: a hydraulic leak, a fuel leak and passenger oxygen generators that were due to be changed.

The FAA's total proposed fine is $988,000.

On its web site, the Seattle, Washington-based carrier said it already had corrected problems cited by an FAA audit.

"The airline believes that the issues raised by that special inspection have already been addressed through the carrier's comprehensive action plan, which was submitted to and approved by the FAA," Alaska stated.

The FAA had been watching the airline, the nation's 10th largest, since January, when an Alaska Airlines MD-80 crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles, California.

The plane, bound for San Francisco, California, from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, carried 88 passengers and crew. All aboard were killed in the crash.

A probe of the crash has centered on a faulty horizontal stabilizer mounted on the tail that appeared to cause the plane to plunge into the sea. A jackscrew controlling the stabilizer was damaged and may not have been properly lubricated.

Maintenance records reviewed

As a result of the fatal crash, the FAA said it began auditing all of Alaska's maintenance records and practices.

In June, the FAA reported the audit had found "serious breakdowns in record-keeping, documentation and quality assurance" and that "maintenance personnel are not following FAA-approved procedures."

The agency threatened to shut down the airline's maintenance operations unless it came up with a plan to fix the problems.

Alaska Airlines ultimately satisfied the FAA, and it continued operations.

The bulk of the fine proposed Monday is a result of discrepancies discovered during the audit.

Alaska spokesman Jack Evans said it was too soon to say if the airline would contest the fine, noting it has a 30-day window to decide.

Last spring the airline said it expected some kind of fine, despite FAA approval of its improvement plan.

"The FAA is not taking exception with that action plan," Evans said. "At this point, I have no idea whether we are going to (contest the penalty) or what if anything we will have to say about it."

CNN Correspondent Carl Rochelle and Reuters contributed to this report.

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Alaska Airlines
National Transportation Safety Board
Federal Aviation Administration

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