U.S. Department 

of Transportation 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

FEB ·- 4 2015 

Eastern Region 

Regional Counsel 

Telephone: 718 553-3258 

Facsimile: 718 995-5699 

CERTIFIED MAIL- RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20591 

Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

Wilbur Wright Building- Room 2014 

ATTN: HEARING DOCKET CLERK 

1 Aviation Plaza 

Jamaica, NY 11434 

RECEIVED 

FEB 0 9 2015 

HEARING DOCKET 

,~015-oao~ 

Re: In the Matter of Laurel Avionics Company 

Docket No. 20 13EA030023 

Enclosed herein please find a copy of a request for hearing and the original and one 

copy of the FAA's Complaint in the above-entitled action for filing, together with 

proof of service upon the Respondent. 

The FAA requests that the hearing in this matter be held in the Pittsburgh, P A, and 

expects that the hearing will last two (2) days. 

Please address all communications for the Federal Aviation Administration to the 

attention of Zachary M. Bennan, Office of the Regional Counsel, 1 Aviation Plaza 

Jamaica, NY 11434. 

Sincerely, 

Alfred R. Johnson, Jr. 

Regional Counsel 

By: Zachary($t~ Attorney 

Enclosures 
Option Selection F onn 

Regional Counsel for the Eastern Region 

Federal Aviation Administration 

I Aviation Plaza 

Jamaica NY 11434 

Date _ _) ~"". ''"Z... ~ '?...Q ~ S 

Laurel Avionics Company, Inc.- 20 13EA030023 

Subject Final Notice of Proposed Civil Penalty 

Response Attachment 

IV ED 

FEB 0 9 2015 

HEARING DOCKET 

In reply to your Final Notice of Proposed Civil Penalty Laurel Avionics Company, Inc. elects to proceed as indicated by its check mark beside the numbered paragraph 

below: 

1. (_) Laurel Avionics Company, Inc. hereby submits the amount of the proposed civil penalty with the understanding that an Order Assessing Civil Penalty will be 

issued in that amount. 

/ 

2. (:!(' Laurel Avionics Company, ln~. hereby requests a formal hearing in accordance with Section U.L6 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. 

By sending this form to the Federal Aviation Administration, Eastern Region, Laurel Avionics Company, Inc. also hereby 

certifies that a copy of this form has been filed with the Hearing Docket Clerk (Hearing Docket, Federal Aviation Administration. 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W., Roomj.l-4:;\, \\'ashiogton, DC 20591, Attention: Hearing Docket Clerk). "<!...0 14-

** Please note that Laurel Avionics Companv lnc. will not be entitled to a hearin2: if it files this form with the Federal Aviation Administration. Eastern Re2ion. 

\VlTHOUT having filed this fonn or a written request for a hearini! with the HEARING Duc.KET CLERK. 

r= R::c:=:i\/~0- AEA-001 

L-;s _ 

5 
EIV 

FEB 0 9 2015 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

OFFICE OF HEARINGS 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

In the Matter of Laurel Avionics Company 

2013EA030023 

Judge Not Assigned 

COMPLAINT 

H lNG DOCKET 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), by counsel, hereby files its Complaint, 

pursuant to Rule 208 of the Rules of Practice (14 C.F.R. 13.208), and states as 

follows: 

I 

Respondent, Laurel Avionics Company, was advised through a Final Notice of 

Proposed Civil Penalty that the FAA proposed to assess a civil penalty in the amount 

of $7,500. On January 23, 2015, Respondent submitted a written demand for a 

hearing. 

II 

1. Laurel Avionics Company, Inc. (hereinafter "Laurel Avionics") is 

the holder of Approved Repair Station Certificate Number 

QILR88IL. 

2. On or about May 17,2012, Laurel Avionics performed maintenance 

on a Rockwell Commander 112 aircraft, identification number 

N112GT (hereinafter "the aircraft"). 
3. Specifically, Laurel Avionics performed an annual inspection on the 

aircraft. 

4. At all times relevant herein, maintenance of the aircraft was subject 

to the requirements of the Rockwell Commander Maintenance 

Manual. 

5. At all times relevant herein, maintenance of the propellers of the 

aircraftcraft was subject to the requirements of the Hartzell Propeller 

Owner's Manual. 

6. Incident to the annual inspection referenced in paragraph 3, above 

(hereinafter "the May 17, 2012 annual inspection"), Laurel Avionics 

removed the propeller of the aircraft and sent it to East Coast 

Propellers for overhaul. 

7. At the conclusion of the May 17, 2012 annual inspection, Laurel 

Avionics made an entry in the maintenance record of the aircraft 

indicating that the aicraft was in an airworthy condition, and 

approved the aircraft for return to service. 

8. In fact, the aircraft was not in an airworthy condition. 

9. In fact, the aircraft was not in a condition safe for flight. 

10. Specifically, the propeller had not been installed in accordance with 

the Rockwell Commander Maintenance Manual and the Hartzell 

OPropller Owner's Manual in that the 0-ring was not installed in the 

0-ring groove in thee rear of the hub, but rather was installed on the 

engine crankshaft flange. 

11. As a result, there was a gap between the propeller hub and the engine 

flange at several propeller hub attach points. 

12. On or about May 1, 2013, Laurel Avionics perfonned maintenance 

on the aircraft. 

13. Specifically, Laurel Avionics performed another annual inspection 

on the aircraft (hereinafter "the May 1, 2013 annual inspection"). 

14. At the conclusion of the May 1, 2013 annual inspection, Laurel 

Avionics made an entry in the maintenance record of the aircraft 

2 
indicating that the aicraft was in an airworthy condition, and 

approved the aircraft for return to service. 

15. In fact, the aircraft was not in an airworthy condition. 

16. In fact, the aircraft was not in a condition safe for flight. 

17. Specifically, the propeller had not been installed in accordance with 

the Rockwell Commander Maintenance Manual and the Hartzell 

Propeller Owner's Manual as described in paragraphs 11 and 12, 

above. 

III 

By reason of the foregoing, Laurel Avionics violated the following sections of the 

Federal Aviation Regulations: 

a. Section 4 3 .13 (a), which states that each person perfonning 

maintenance, alteration, or preventive maintenance on an aircraft, 

engine, propeller, or appliance shall use the methods, techniques, and 

practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual 

or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness prepared by its 

manufacturer, or other methods, techniques, and practices acceptable 

to the Administrator. 

b. Section 145.201(c)(1), which states that a certificated repair station 

may not approve for return to service any article unless the 

maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alteration was perfonned in 

accordance with the applicable approved technical data or data 

acceptable to the Administrator. 

3 
IV 

1. Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. §46301(a)(5), Respondent is subject to a civil penalty not 

to exceed $11,000 for each ofthe violations alleged. 

2. Under the facts and circumstances of this case, a civil penalty of $7,500 is 

appropriate. 

WHEREFORE, the FAA, by counsel, respectfully requests that the Administrative 

Law Judge enter an order that Respondent be assessed a civil penalty in the amount 

of$7,500. 

Respectfully submitted, 

Alfred R. Jolmson, Jr. 

Regional Counsel 

By: --------------------

Zachary M. Berman 

Attorney 

Federal Aviation Administration 

1 Aviation Plaza 

Jamaica, NY 11434 

718 553-3258 

718 995-5699 

4 
NOTE: 

The Rules of Practice for this proceeding are set forth in Part 13, 

Subpart G, ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations (14 C.F.R. Part 13). 

The Rules of Practice provide that Respondent must file a written 

answer to this Complaint, or a written Motion to Dismiss if appropriate, not 

later than 30 days after the date shown on the Certificate of Service. A general 

denial is deemed a failure to file an answer (Section 13.209(e)). 

5 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I hereby certifY that the foregoing Complaint has been placed this date in the United 

States mail, postage prepaid, by Certified Mail - Return Receipt Requested addressed 

as follows: 

John V. Sabel 

Aviation Advisors, LLC 

2515 Minton Drive 

Moon Township, PA 15108 

Federal Aviation Administration (Original and one copy) 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20591 

Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

Wilbur Wright Building- Room 2014 

-IF FILING BY FEDERAL EXPRESS 

Federal Aviation Administration (Original and one copy) 

600 Independence Avenue, SW 

Wilbur Wright Building- Room 2014 

Washington, DC 20591 

Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

FEB ·- 4 

Date: ______ _ /J,A-~ h~oks Paralegal Specialist 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Office of Regional Counsel 

1 Aviation Plaza 

Jamaica, NY 11434 

6