02/23/201 0 13:0 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A * DM S 0001/00 6 

# < 9 U . S . Dcpuruncn l ofTmnsporluiio n Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n rcy-f , ',-•••••'=• ,•.•'.-,• . r.-. v3\|> , t, - -yUK•..•:5.. , r' • '-••:•• . •','." ' inr w a f'i ' %T"! i '^-tf^ 

### FE B 

### I 7 20W J - 1 -7 " • - • ^.^ S r-.• . . - \, i Y\ - :",. , « Grea t Lake s Regio n 230 0 Kas i Devo n A«enu e DesPlainei , Illinoi s 60018-^69 6

I n Repl y Refe r to : AGL^7 K 2009-GL-27-002 1 February! , 201 0 CERTIFIE D MAI L Hearin g Docket , Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbe r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W100 0 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 84 7 294-771 3



## iPlOe^LCOd^/^O/O'OC' Z 

# 3 <r 3

- I D 1 o Re ; Rushmor e Helicopters , Inc. , EIR2009-GL-27-002 1 ) Enclose dherewit

h pleas e findth e original andon e cop y o f th e Complain t

i n th e abovc-rcfcrencc d proceeding . Th e FAA request s tha

t th e hearin g i

n ihi s matte r

b e hel di n Rapi dCity , Sout

h Dakota , an dexpect s tha t th e hearin g wil l las t

on e day . Pleas e addres s al l communication s for th e FA A t o th e undersigne dat : Chri s G . Ziirale s Federal Aviatio n Adminisiraiio n Great Lake s Region , A0L-7 K 230 0 Eas t Devo n Avenu e De s Plaines . n . 60018-469 6 Phon e (847)294-771 3 Fa x (847 ) 294-749 8 Sincerel y Chri s 6rT6wAle s Senio r Attorne y Enclosures : Complain t cc : Responden t

(w/cop y o f

Complaint )02/23/201 0 13:0 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A • » DM S (2)002/00 6



## U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N

Offic e of Hearing s Washington , D.C . 

### Rushmor e Helicopters , Inc . FAA DOCKE T NO . CP*no t yet assigned * (EIR2009-GL-27-0021 ) (Civi l Penalt

y Action ) Adminisirativ e La

w Judg e *no t

yet assigned * 

## COMPLAIN T O n Januar y 19 , 2010 , Respondent , Rushmore Helicopters , Inc. , (Rushmore ) wa s advise dthroug h aFina l Notic e o f

Propose dCivi l Penall y tha i th e FA A propose dt o asses s acivi l penalty i n th e amoun t o f $25,000.00 . Rushmore , by counsel , ha s submitte dawritte n reques t fo r ahearing , date dJanuar

y 26 , 2010 , whic h wa s receive db y th e Agenc y Attorne y o n Februar y 1,2010 .

Th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA) , by counsel , hereb y lile s it s Complaint , pursuan t t o Rul e 20 8 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e (1 4 C.F.R . 13.208) , an dstate s a s follows : 1 . A t al l time s relevan t

heret o Rushmor e operate dacommercial air tou r operatio n (CA T operation ) i

n th e vicinit

y o f Custer , Sout

h Dakota . 2 . I n it s CA T operatio n Rushmor e employe dth e service s o f acommercial pilot , Robert Lcro y Lcffcr

t (LclTcrt ) andoperate daBel l 20 6 helicopter , registere da s N2268 W an downe db

y 6 8 Whiske y LLC .02/23/201 0 13:0 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A + DM S @1003/00 G

3 . At al l time s relevan t

heret o Leffer

t acte da s pilo t

in comnian dan doperate d N2268 W a s apilo t

of , an dagent

of , Rushmor e i n th e CA T operation . 4 . A t som e poin t

durin g th e afternoo n o f

Augus t 6,2009 , Lcflcr

t discovere dthai th e fue l ca p wa s missin g fromN2268W . 5 . Rathe r

tha n secure N2268 W unti l areplacemen t fue l cap coul db e obtained , o r see k th e assistanc e o f

acertificate dmechani c l o obtai n aspecia l flight (ferry ) permit , T .effer

t pu t duc t tap e ove r th e fue l filler por t an dfle w N226 8 W , from Keystone , Sout

h Dakot ato th e Rushmor e an dBlac k Hill s Aerial Adventure s facility , nea

r Custer , Sout

h Dakota , approximatel y 1 0 mile s away . 6 . O n Augus t

7 , 2009 , Leffer

t operate dN2268 W i n Rushmore' s CA T operation , withou t th e benefi t

o f afue l ca p installe dan dwit

h duc t tap e over th e fue l filler port , o n a t leas t 1 0 passenge r

carryin g ai r

tou r llights . 7 . N2268 W di dno t

mee t th e typ e desig n o r

typ e certificate fo

r aBell 206 B helicopte r whe n i t di dno t hav e afue

l ca p an dwhe n i t

ha dduc t tap e ove r th e fue l filler port . 8 . A i n o lim e relevan t heret o wa s aspecial flight (ferry ) permi t

issue dtha t

woul d allo w fo r th e operatio n o f

N2268 W wiih duc t

tap e over th e fue l filler port rathe r than th e appropriat e fuel cap . 9 . A t al l time s that

Rushmor e operate dN2268 W withou t afue l ca p an dwit h duc t tap e ove r th e fue l filler port , N2268 W wa s no t

i n a n airworth y condition .02/23/201 0 13:0 9 FAX 202493514 2 FA A* DM S 

### 3 10 . Rushmore' s operatio n orN2268 W withou t afiiel ca p andwit h duc t tap e ove r th e flie l filler port , a s describe dabov e wa s careles s an dendangere dth e live s .m d property o f

others . B y reaso n o f

th e Ibrcgoin e tact s an dcircumstances , Rushmor e violated , on eac h lligh t that the y operate dN2268 W withou t aftie l cap an dwit

h duc t tap e ove r th e fiie i filler port , ih e followin g Federal Aviatio n Regulations : a . Sectio n 91.7(a ) whic h state s that n o perso n ma

y operate acivi l aircraf

t unles s it i s i n a n airworth y condition . b . Sectio n 91.13(a ) whic h prohibit s aperso n fromoperatin g a n aircraf t i n acareles s manne r s o a s t o endanger

th e lif e o r property o f

another . 

## I I 1 . Pursuan t

t o Titl e 4 9 o f

th e Unite dStale s Code , Sectio n 4630 1 (4 9 U.S.C . § 46301) , Rushmor e i s subjec t

t o acivi l penalt

y no t to excee d$11,000.0 0 fo

r eac h violatio n alleged . 2 . Under th e fact s an dcircumstance s o f thi s case , acivi l penalt

y o f $25,000.0 0 i s appropriate . WHEREFORE , th e Agency , by counsel , respectfull y request s tha t th e Administrativ e Law Judg e ente r

a n Orde r tha t Responden t

b e assesse dacivi l penalt y i n th e amoun t

o f $25,000.00 . Respectfiill y submitte dthi s 2ndda y o f Februar y 2010 .

'Chri s G . Zurale s Senio r Attorne y Federal Aviatio n Administratio n Grea t Lake s Region , AGL-7 K 230 0 Eas t Devo n Avenu e De s Plaines , I

L 6001 8 Phone : (847)294-771 3 Fax : (847 ) 294-749 802/23/201 0 13:0 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A•> • DM S 12005/00 8



## Certificat e o f

Service I hereb y certif

y tha t th e foregoin g Complain t

ha s bee n maile dthi s 2n dda y o f Februar y 2010 , b y Certifie dMail , Reiimi Receip t Requested , lo : Original an dOn e Copy : Hearin g Docket , Federal Aviatio n Administratio n Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilber Wright Buildin g - Suite 2W100 0 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 On e Copy : J . Darre n Bycr s La w office s o f

J . Darre n Byer s 105 Wes t Fourt h Street , Suite 40 0 Winston-Salem , N C 2710 1 Telephone : (336 ) 727-107 0 Fax : (336 ) 727-108 5 Date dthi s 2n dda

y o f Februar y 2010 . Tarruny' G ardnc r Tammy ' Lega l Technician F A A Grea

t Lake s02/23/201 0 13:0 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A + DM S glOOG/OO G

J . Darren Bysr s jdbycrs@jdbyers.coi n Lu^. ' OFFICE S O F J . DARRE N BYI ^ A Professiona

l Assoiiiaiion 1 O S West i-oun h Slrcc l Siiiic400 , O'Hanlo n Buildin u Winsion-Salem , Nonh Carolin a2710 1 Teleplionc ; .^36-727-107 0 Fac.<;imile : 3.'i6-727-lO« 5 www.jdbyer.s.co

m Januar y 26,201 0 

# f

Hearin g Docke t Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington , D C 2059 1 ATrENTION : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbe r Wright Building , Suite 2Wl'00 O 

### FS B P.Oi O 

### J

RE : Michae l Jaco b AGL-7 K 2009-GL-27-002 1 Dea r Sirs : Pleas e b e advise dthat

1 represen t

Mr . Michae l Jaco b with regar dt o th e abov e matter . Thi s letter

i s areques t

fo r aforma l hearin g i n thi s matter . I woul dappreciate yo u contactin g m

y offic e a t th e abov e addres s andtelephon e nimiber t o schedul e th e hearing . Than k yo u i n advanc e for

you r cooperatio n i n thi s matte r I f ther e i s any additional informatio n needed , pleas e notif y m e immediately . Sincerely , J . Dane 4 Byer s JDB/jd s Cc : Chri s G , Zurales , Senio r Attorne y Michae l Jaco b