05/17/2014 05:42

U.S. Department ofTransportation Federal Aviation Administration


### June 17,2014 4252271007 ANM7

Northwest Mountain Region Office of Regional Counsel Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming 1601 Lind Avenue S.W. Renton, Washington 98057 Tel: (425) 227-2161 Fax: (425) 227-1007 jeffrey.harper@faa.gov PAGE 02/08



### VIA FACSIIV1ILE AND CERTlfiED MAIL- RETURN RECEIPT

# ~~{§l:E

# I 

# vE D

Federal Aviation Administration Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 Wilbur Wright Building

- Rooro. 2Wl000 800 Independence Avenue, Southwest Washington, DC 20591 

## JUN 1 7 2014 

## HEARING DOCKET

Re; In the Matter ofSky WestAirlines, Inc. FAA Case No. 2012NM060030 Enclosedplease find a copy ofa request for hearing and the original and one copy ofthe Complaint in this proceeding. The FAArequests that the hearing i.o thi.s matter be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, and expects thatthe hearing will last one day. For scheduling purposes, counsel for the FAA is unavailable on the following dates in 2014: June 20-23, July 13-29,August 22-25, and Septem.ber 12-15. Please address all communications to the undersigned at: Federal Aviatioo Administration Northwest Mountain. Region, ANM-7 1601 LindAvenue Southwest Renton, Washington 98057 (425) 227-2161, Fax: (425) 227-1007 Sincerely,

# ,1::}-~ FAAAttomey JMH/ds Enclosure: Request for Hearing (Appeal) Complaint06/17/2014 06:42 4252271007 ANM7 PAGE 03/08 

# RECEIVED Jeffrey M. Harper FAA Office of Regional Counsel 1601 Lind Avenue, Southwest Renton, Washington 98057 (425) 227-2161, Fax: (425) 227,1007 

### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF HEARINGS

WASHINGTON, 

### D.C. 

## JUN 1 7 2014 

## HEARING DOCKET

FAA Case No. 2012NM060030 

### ln the Matter of: Sky West Airlines, Inc. DMS No.: Not Assigned- 

## Z.O 

# l'-\-**Q~d ~**  Judge Not Assigned


### COMPLAINT The Federal Aviation Administration 

### (FAA), by counsel, hereby files its Complaint, pursuant to Rule 208 ofthe Rules ofPractice 14 

### C.P.R.§ 13.208, and states as follows: I. On June 

### 5, 2014, SkyWest Airlines, !nc.was advised through a FinalNotice ofProposed 

### CivU Penalty that the FAAproposed to assess a civilpenalty in the amount of$40,000. On June 10, 2014, SkyWest Airlines, through

### its legal cotmsel, submitted

### a written request for a hearing. 

### II. I. SkyWestAirlines (SkyWest), is now and was at 

### all times material herein the holder of Scheduled

### Air Carrier Certificate No. SWIA011A, and conducts 

### .its operations pursuantto Part 121 ofthe FederalAviation Regulations (FAR). 2. Paragraph D085 ofSky West's Operations Specifications (OpSpecs) authorizes Sky West to use N448SW, 

### a Bombardier CL-600-2B 19 civil aircraft, 

### in the conduct of SkyWest's Part 

### 121 operations. 

### 3. ParagraphA098 

### of SkyWest's OpSpecs requires that aircraft loading for Bombardier CL-600·2B19 aircraft be accomplished in accordance with SkyWest's Weight & Balance Operations Part XII SP41 00 (W &B Manual).05/17/2014 05:42 4252271007 ANM7

4. SkyWest's W&B Manual contains the loading schedules and instructions f01: Sky West's Bombardier CL-600-2B19 aircraft. 

### 5. SkyWest's W&B Manual (Revision 01 dated 

### 22 SEP 

### 11), Chapter 2, defines "planeside loaded bag" as "equivalent to planeside loaded valet/service item." 6. Sky West's W&B Manual (Revision 01 dated 

### 22 SEP II), Chapter 2, defmes "service item" 

### as "equivalent to planeside loaded valeVservice item." 

### 7. SkyWest's W&B Manual (Revision 01 dated 22 SEP 

### ll), Chapter 

### 2, defines "planeside loaded valet/service items" as "[a]ny bag or itemthat is placed at the door or steps of

### an aircraft and subsequently placed inthe aircraft cargo compartment or cargo bin. Referred to as Planeside Valet/Service Item on. the CLR [Cargo Load Report]." PAGE 04/08

8. Sky West's W&B Man.ual (Revision 01 dated 22 SEP ll), Chapter 3, paragraph 2.E.2 states "[i]tems that cannotbe stowed in an overhead bin, underneath a seat, or secured in an empty seat must be collected from 

### the passenger and tagged with a plan.eside loaded/carry-on tag. Tbe item now becomes a planeside loaded bag. All passenger items collected at the boarding stairs, in a passenger loading bridge, or removed from inside the aircraft passenger cabin and placed inthe cargo bin/pit mustbe accounted for on the CLR." 9. Sky West's W&B Manual (Revision 01 dated 22 SEP 11), Chapter 3, paragraph 2.I.2 states that "[ u]pon completion ofloadingthe cargo bin/pit, the designated loading agent mustverify thepiece count ofall Standard Checked, Heavy Checked, m,d Plancside Loaded/Service Item Baggage
..." 

### 10. SkyWest's W&B Manual (Revision 

### 01 dated 

### 22 SEP 

### 11), Chapter 

### 4, paragraph 

### 13.B.1 states the "PIC [pilot in command] completes the 

### ACARS load manifest

### with .information from 

### the CLR." 11. SkyWest's W&B Manual (Revision 01 dated 22 SEP 11), Chapter 4, paragraph 8.10, requires the loading agent to write the total number ofPlaneside ValeVService Items loaded in each cargo bin/pit in the appropriate "Planeside ValeVService Item" block on th.e CLR. 12. SkyWest's W&B Manual, Chapter 4, paragraph 12 contains the warning:

c;;(llnpla.int J.n the Matter ofSkyWe:st Airlines., rnc. FAt\ Case No. 2012NM060030. DMS No. Not**Assi~'l'ed** Page2of6 1Efl'm.r.:v M. 1-TA,R,rF.:F:... FAA ATTOR,NEY TEL: (42.5) 217-2l6l; PAX: (425) 227-100705/17/2014 05:42 4252271007 ANM7

## ~WARNING-INACCURATE LOADING, REPORTING, OR FAILURE TO REPORT INFORMATION COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING, RESULTING IN THE ENDANGERMENT OF HUMAN LIFE. 

### III. 13, On December 4, 2011, at Sacramento InternationalAirport, (SMF), Sacramento, California, Sky West loaded passengers and baggage onto N448SWto be operated as Flight 4 7 4 3 bound for LosAngeles InternationalAirport (LAX), LosAngeles, California. 14. SkyWest's personnel at SMF loaded 39 Planeside Valet/Service items onboard N448SW. 15. The ACARS LoadManifest for Flight 4743 Hsted no valet bags onboard N448SW. 16. Sky West thereafter operated N448SW as Flight 4743 to LAX. III. 

### 17. Sky West has paid civil pe.nalties in eight previous cases involving loading ofcargo 

### md baggage contrary to approved procedures. 

## IV. 1. 

### By reason ofthe foregoing circurnstance(s), Great Western violatedthe following provisions ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations (14 C.F.R.):


### a. Section 119.S(g), in that, as a direct air 

### carrier, it operated in violation ofan appropriate operations specifications. b. Section 119.5(1), in that it operated ain;raft under Part 121 in violation ofits operations specifications.

c. Section 121.693(a), inthat it 

### operated flights without a load manifest that accurately reflected the weight ofthe cargo and baggage. PAGE 05/08

Conrploitlt Tn tho Matter ofSkyWcst. Airli.nc!';;, Inc. JE>"FREY M. HARPER, FAA A17\11<NCY TEL: (425)227-2161: fAXo**(42~)** 227-1007 FAA Case No. 201 ZNJ\106()030. l)lv!S No. Nol Assignod Page 3 of605/17/2014 05:42 4252271007 ANM7



### d. Section 121.693(c), 

### inthat it operated flights when the total weight ofthe aircraft was not computed under approved procedures.

e. Section 121.693(d), inthatit operated flights when the aircraft was not loaded according 

### to an approved schedule. 2. Under 49 U.S.C. §§ 46301 (a) and (d), SkyWest is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed not to exceed $27,500 for each ofthe violations noted. 3. Under the facts and circumstances ofthis case, a civilpenalty of$40,000 is appropriate. Respectfully submittedthis 17'h day ofJune, 2014.

# ,1~-~~ FAA Attorney PAGE 05/08

Complaint J.n tbo MattcT ofSkyWc!it**Aitlines~ h~c.**  JEI'FREY M. 1-lARPER,. Fi\A.Al'TORNEY TBL: (425) 227-2161; FNC (425) 227·1007 FAA Caso No. 2012NM060030. DMS No. Not Assigned Pago. 4 of605/17/2014 05:42 4252271007 ANM7 PAGE 07/08



### ANSWER In accordance with Section 13.209(a) ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations, Sky

### West Airlines must answer this Complaint not later than 30 days after the date the Complaint is served. 

### Failure to file an Answer within 30 days without good cause shall be deemed an admission ofthe 1ruth ofeach allegation contained in the Complaint. 14 C.F.R. 

### § 13.209(£).

Complaint In the Natter ofSkyV...-cst Airline$. Inc. FAA Case No, 2012NM06003t\. DMS No. Not A»:go.ed**Pag~~** 5of6 l1"'1;'l::EY M, HARI'blJ., FMATTORNTiY T.EL: (425) 227-2'161; FAX: (425) 227-!00705/17/2014 05:42 4252271007 ANM7



### CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certifY that the foregoing Complaint has been served via facsimile and Certifi.ed Mail

- Retum Receipt Requested this date, to the following: Federal Aviation Administration Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 Wilbur WrightBuilding- Suite 2Wl000 

### 800 Independence Avenue Southwest Washington, DC 20591 

### Fax: (202) 493-5142 Todd Emerson, 

### Esq. SkyWest Airlines 444 S. River Road 

### St. George, 

### UT 84790 Tel: (435) 634-3530 

### Fax: (435) 634-3505 Dated this 17th 

### day ofJune, 2014.

# -~!hAl.~ DailliSteiJhell Office ofRegional Counsel (ANM-7) Federal AviationAdministration 1601 Lind Avenue SW Renton, WA 98057 

### (425) 227-2164 PAGE 08/08

Comptai.nt In the M:,.tter ofSkyV·/est A.i.rlines, tnc.**.I.T~FFR.I~** y M. HA**R,ro.r:~:t~.** FAA A**t~rO'!~~Y** TEL: (425) 227-2!61; FAX: (425) 2Z7-l007 FAA Case No. 2012NM060030. DMS Nu. Not AS<;gned Page 6 of6