'JKI ^

UNITE D STATE S DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N FEDERA L AVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N

WASHINGTON , D C I n th e Matte r

of : KYL E PONSFOR D FA A Order No . 2010- 3 Docket No . CP09AL000 7 FDM S No . FAA-2009-0729 ' Served : Apri l 28 . 201 0 - J ORDE RDISMISSIN G APPEA L AN D REMANDIN G CAS E T O TH E ADMINISTRATIV E LAW .RJDGE ^ O n November

9 , 2009 , Adminislrativ e La w Judg e Richard C . Goodwin (ALJ ) issue dth e Orde

r Deemin g Allegation s Admitte d an d Limitin g Proceedin g t o Issu e of Civi l Penall y ("Order

Deemin g Allegation s Admitted" ) a s aresul t o f th e failur e o f th e re.spondcnt , Kyl e Ponsfor

d("Ponsford" ) t

o file a n answer . O n Marc h 8 , 2010 , Ponsfor appeale dl o th e Administrato r fro mth e Orde

r Deemin g Allegation s Admitted . Ponsfo i doe s no t hav e th e righ t

to appea l t o th e Administrato r

fro mth e Orde

r Deemin g Allegation s Admitte dand , therefore , thi s cas e i s remande d to th e AL J fo r proceeding s consisten t wit h thi s order . I . Histor y o f the Case . On Jul y 27 . 2009 , th e FA

A filedth e Complaint , allegin g tha t Ponsford , aticket

< 1 — I C D -T- l ;"': '

• • •-••: j l . J o

' Generally , material s file

d i n ih e FA A Hearin g Docket

(excep t fo r material s file

d i n securit y cases ) ar e als o availabl e fo

r viewin g a t http.VAvww.regulations.gov . Se e 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.210(eXl) . ^ Th e Administrator' s civi l penalt y decisions , alon g wit

h indexe s o f

th e decisions , th e rule s o f practice , andother

infomiation , are availabl e o n th e Interne t

a t th e followin g address : wwyv.faa.gov/aboui/uffice_org/headquariersj)ffices/agc/poljidjudlcaUon/AOC400 / Civil_^_Penalty . Se e 14 C.F.R . § 13.2]0(e)(2) 7 I n addition , Thomso n Reuters/Wes t publishe s Federa l Aviatio n Decisions . Finally , th e decision s ar e availabl e throug h LEXI S (TRAN S libra i an dWeslLa

w (FfRAN-FA A database) . Fo r additiona l information , se e th e Web site .* OM S

passenger o n a n Alask aAirline s flight , had offere d a s checke d baggag e aba g containin g a3.53-ounc e canister

o f Jetboi l Jetpowe

r Isobutane/Propan c Fue

l Mi x an d tw o 15.9

- ounc c canister s o f

Primu s Power

Ga s 4 Season Mix . Th e FAA allege d that thes e item s arc classifie da s hazardoto s material s under th e Hazardou s Material s Regulation s (HMR) , an dtha t th e ba g wa s neither

accompanie d b y shippin g papers , no r labele d or

marke d t o indicate tha

t i t containe dbazardoti s materials . Th e FA A allege d tha

t Ponsfor d ha d violate dmultipl e section s o f th e HMRand sough

t a$1,00 0 civi l penalty. ^ On Augus t

20 , 2009 , th e AL

J issue d aprocedura

l order i n whic h h e explaine d tha t under 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.209 , the respondent mus t file awritte n answer

or motio n vvithi

n 3 0 day s afte r servic e o f

th e complaint , an

dthat failur e t o file a n answe r withou t goo d caus e i s deeme da

n admissio n o f

th e allegation s i

n th e complaint . Ponsfor

d di d no t file a n answe r t o the complaint . On Octobe

r 5,2009 , th e FA

A filed amotio n to deemth e allegation s o f th e complaint . Tli e FA

A argue dtha

t a n orde r deemin g the allegation s admitte d wa s ju-stiile d base d upo n Ponsford' s failur e t o file a n answe r and Ponsford' s admissio n in aletter date d July 7 , 2009 , tha

t h e ha dbeen apassenger

o n th e allege d fligh

t an d ha d checke d th e bag containin g ftiel cells . Ponsfor ddi dno t respon d to thi s motion . O n October

22 , 2009 , th e AL

J issue d th e Orde

r t o Sho w Cause , i

n whic h h e ordere da s follows : (I ) O n O f befor e Octobe r 30 , 2009 , Responden

t shal l sho w caus e wh

y th e relie f requeste di

n Complainant' s Motio n shoul d no t b e granted ; j Th

e FA A allege dtha t th e prope r shippin g nam e o f thes e item s i s "Petroleu

mgas , liqvietied; " 1 tha

t thes e item s ar e forbidde n o n passenge r aircraft , tha t transportatio

n b y aircraf t o f Jetboi l I Jetpowe

r Isobutane/Propan

e Fue l Mi x i s prohibited , an

d tha t shipmen t b y ai r o f Primus Powe

r I Ga

s 4 Seaso n Mi x is limite dt o cargo aircraf

t only .+ DM S 121003/00 5 04/29/201 0 09:4 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A (2 ) On o r before October

30 , 2009 , Responden t

shal l fil e aprope r

answer l o th e Complaint ; (3 ) Absen t

suc h afiling b y Responden t o n o r before October

30,2009 , a

n order ma y b e entere ddeemin g th e allegation s o f the Complain t

admitted , an d ftjrther , limitin g th e proceedin g t o th e questio n of th e amount

o f th e civi l penalty . (Order T o Sho w Caus e a

t 2. ) Ponsfor dreplie dt o th e Orde r

to Sho w Caus e b

y lette r date d Octobe r

28 , 2009. " H e v/rot e tha t h e ha d responde dto th e allegation s i n th e complain t i n previou s letters , suc h a s lii s letter

dat e Jul y 7 , 2009 . H e wrot e that h e di d no t

hav e tim e t o answe r

eac h lin e itemi n th e Complain t becaus e "winte r

i s comin g fast. " On Novembe r

9 , 2009 , th e AL

T issue dhi s Order

Deemin g Allegation s Admitted , H e wrote tha t

Ponsfor dha dfaile dt o file a

n answe r an d ha d no t

responde d t o th e Motio n lo DeemAllegation s Admitted . Apparentl y unawar e o f Ponsford' s letter

date d October 28 , 2009 , th e AL

J wrot e tha i Ponsfor

dals o ha d faile d t o respon d lo th e Order t o Sho w Cause , Th

e AL J deeme dth e allegation s admitte d b y Ponsford , grante d ih e FAA' s motion , an dlimite dth e proceedin g t o th e issu e o f th e appropriat e amount

o f civi l penall y t o b e assessed , O n Januar y 13,2010 , th e ALJ schedule d thi s matter fo r hearin g o n Jun e 29 , 2010 , i

n Juneau , Ala.ska . Ponsfordfile dhi s appeal fromth e ALJ' s Order Deemin g Allegation s Admitte d b y letter date dMarc h 8 , 2010 . Th e FAA filedit s repl y o n Marc h 31 , arguin g tha

t th e Administrato r

shoul ddismis s Ponsford' s appea l becaus e th e AL

J ha d no t yet issue d a n initial decision , an dPonsfordwa s neithe r entitle d t o file an interlocutor y appeal o f

right, nor ha dobtaine d th e ALJ' s permissio n t o file a n interlocutor

y appeal for

cause .

" Th e Hearin g Docke t receive dthe lette r o n Novembe

r 5 , 2009 .04/29/201 0 09:4 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A + DM S 0004/00 5

II . Analysis . Sectio n 13.219(a ) o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e i n Civi l Penall y Proceedings , 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.219(a) , provides : "Unles s otherwis e provide d i n thi s subpart , apart y ma y not appea l amlin g or decisio n o f

th e administrativ e la

w judg e t o th e FA

A decisionmake r

tinti l th e initial decisio n ha s bee n entere don th e record. " Th e AL J ha s no t ye t issue d a n initial decisio n in thi s matter . Althoug h th e AL J ha s deeme d th e allegation s admitted , h e ha s no t set acivi l penall y fo

r th e allege dviolations . Hence , a t thi s juncture , Ponsford' s onl y avenu e fo r appealin g t o th e Administrator , if any , woul d b e unde r

th e rul e pertainin g t o interlocutor

y appeals , 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.219(b)-(d) . There are tw o type s o f

interlocutor

y appeals : interlocutor

y appeal o f

right and interlocutor

y appeal fo

r cause . Sectio n 13.219(c ) permit s apart y l o file a n interlocutor

y appea l o f righ t t o th e Administrato r

• befor e th e issuanc e o f

a n initial decisio n withou t first obtainin g th e permissio n o f th e AL J t o fil e th e appea

l - i n thre e circumstances : (1 ) a n orde r b y th e AL

J barrin g aperso n fro

mth e proceedings ; (2 ) th e failur e o f

th e AL J t o dismis s th e proceeding s wdt h prejudic e a s require d under 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.21 5 if

th e agenc y attorne y withdraw s th e complain t and/o r th e responden t

withdraw s th e reques t

fo r hearing ; (3 ) arulin g o r

orde r b y th e AL

J tha t exceed s th e limitatio n set fort h i n 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.205 , b y imposin g asanctio n no t specifie d i n 1 4 C.F.R . Par t 13 , subpar

t G . Th e ALJ' s Order

Deemin g Allegation s Admitte d di d no t ba r an y perso n Iro mth e proceedings , th e FA A di dno t withdra w ih e complaint , an d Ponsfor d di d no t withdraw hi s reques t fo r hearing . Th e AL

J di dno t impos e asanctio n that

i s no t permitte d under

th e Rule s o f Practic e becaus e a

n orde r deemin g allegation s admitte d i s permitte d tmder04/29/201 0 09:4 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A • » DM S 121005/00 5

1 4 C.F.R . § 13.209(f

) i f aperso n fail s t o fil e a

n answer withou t goo d cause. ^ Hence , Ponsfor di s no t entitle dt o file a n interlocutory appea

l o f right under 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.219(c) . A part y ma y reques t permissio n fi"o

ma n AL J to fil e a n interlocutor

y appea l fo r cause , an da

n AL J wil l gra msuc h areques t

i f " apart y show s tha

t dela y o f th e appeal woul db e detrimental t o th e publi c interes t o r woul d resul t

i n undu e prejudic e t o an y party. " 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.219(b) . I t i s no t necessary t o decid e whethe r th e AL J shoul d hav e grante dareques t

t o permi t Ponsfor dt o file a n interlocutor

y appea l fo r caus e becaus e Ponsfor dnever requeste dth e ALJ' s consent . Consequently , Ponsford' s appea l t o th e Administrato r fromth e ALJ' s Order Deemin g Allegation s Admitte di s disinissed , an d th e cas e i s remande d t

o th e AL J fo r furthe r proceedings . Befor

e th e hearing , th e ALJ shoul d consider Ponsford' s letter , date d October , 28 , 2009 , an ddetermin e whethe r i n that letter Ponsfor d establishe d goo d caus e fo r failin g t o file a

n answer . J . RANDOLPH BABBIT T ADMINISTRATO R Federal Aviatio n Administratio n VICK I S . LEEMON " Manager , Adjudicatio n Branc h

^ Sectio n 13.209(f ) provides : "[a

j person' s failur

e t o file a n answe r withou t goo d caus e shal

l b e deeme da n admissio n o f th e trut h o f eac h allegation containe

d i n the complaint. " * Issue dunde r authorit y delegate dt o the Chie f Counse l an d th e Assistan t Chie f Counse l fo r Litigation b

y memorandu

mdate dOeiobe r 27 , 1992 , unde

r 4 9 U.S.C . § 322(b ) an

d 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.20 2 (se e 5 7 Fed . Reg . 58,280 (1992) ) an dredelcgate

d b y th e Assistan t Chie f Counse l fo r Litigatio n t o th e Manager , Adjudicatio

n Branch , b

y Memorandu

mdate d Augus t 6 , 1993 .