09/28/2012 13:52 FAX 2024935142 

0 

U.S. Department 

Of Transportation 

Federal Aviation 

Administration 

Office of Regional Counsel 

August 16,2012 

FAA 

Northwest Mountain Region 

Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Oregon, Utah, Washington, 

Wyoming 

-7 OMS ~001/007 

1601 Lind Avenue S.W. 

Renton, Washington 98057 

Tel: (425) 227-2161 

Fax: (425) 227-1007 

JEFFREY.HARPER@FAA.Gq! 

f-.,,) VIA FACSIMILE AND CERTIFIED MAIL. RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED oAttn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

Hearing Docket 

Federal Aviation Administration 

(Wilbur Wright Bldg·· Room 2W1 000) 

800 Independence Avenue S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20591 

Re: In the Matter ofSkyWest Airlines, FAA. Cuse No. 2011NM060081 

Enclosed is an original and one copy of a request for hearing and Complaint in the abovereferenced proceeding. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requests that the hearing in this matter be held in 

Salt Lake City, Utah, and expects that the hearing wi II last one ( 1) day. 

1] 

For scheduling purposes, FAA Attorney, Jeffrey Harper will be unavailable due to miJitary duty on 

October 12-15, November 2-5, and November 31-Dcccmber 3, 2012. 

Plea'>e address all communications for the FAA to the undersigned at 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Northwest Mountain Region, ANM-7 

1601 Lind 1\venue S.W. 

RenL()n, Washington 98057 

Telephone: (425) 227-2161 

FAX: (425) 227-1007 

SUt:?~, /7._/\._---

.l.~a.~cr FAA Attorney 

JMH/ds 

Enclosures: Request for Ilearing (Appeal) 

Complaint 

RECEIVED 

AUG 2 0 20t2 

HEARING DOCKET 
09/26/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA -> OMS @ 002/007 

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JEFFREY HARI'ER 

FAA Orrrcr. OF REGIONAL COUNSEL 

1601 LIND AVE., SW 

Rt::NTON,VVASHTINGTON98057 

TELE!'HONE: (425) 227·2161 

FACSIMILE: (425) 227-1007 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

OFFICE OF HEARINGS 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

In the Matter of: 

FAA Case No. 2011NM060081 

Sky West Airlines 

Judge Not Assigned 

JUDGE NOT ASSIGNED: 

COMPLAINT 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), by counsel, hereby 1iles its Complaint, 

pursuant to Rule 208 of the Rules of Practice (14 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) 

Section 13.208), and states as follows: 

I. 

On July 26, 2012, Sky West Airlines, Inc., was advised through a Final Noti~.;c of 

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

$40,000. On August 8, 2012, SkyWest Airlines, Tnc., through legal counsel, submilled a 

wrillen request for a hearing. 

COMPLAINT 

FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

f•AA Case No. 20 II NM060081 

Page 2 of? 

}F:FFRRY M. TIARPF.:R, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 
09/28/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA + OMS 141003/007 

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II. 

SkyWest Airlines (Sky West), is now and was at all times material herein the holder of 

Scheduled Air Carrier Cenificate No. SWIAOliA, and conducts its operations 

pursuant to Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR). 

Paragraph 0085 of SkyWest's Operations Specifications (OpSpecs) authorizes 

Sky West to use N603SK; a Bombardier CL-600-2C1 0 civil aircraft, in the conduct of 

SkyWest's Part 121 operations. 

Paragraph A098 of Sky West's OpSpecs requires that aircraft loading for Bombardier 

CL-600-2C1 0 aircraft be accomplished in accordance with SkyWest's Weight & 

Balance Operations Manual, SP4100, (W&B Manual), "Part XII, revision Orig of 

1 APR I 0." 

SkyWcst's W&B Manual contains the loading schedules and instructions for 

Sky West's Bombardier CL-600-2Cl 0 aircraft. 

SkyWest's W&B Manual, Chapter 2, paragraph 2.A.14 detines "COMAT" as 

"Company material such as inter-office correspondence, aircraft supplies, etc." 

SkyWcst's W&B Manual> Chapter 2> paragraph 2.A.6 defines "Cargo" as including 

COMAT. 

Sky West's W&B Manual (Temporary Revision dated 14 FEB 11), Chapter 3, 

paragraph 2.I.l requires the loading agent to record on the Cargo Load Report (CLR) 

the actual weight of CO MAT. 

Sky West's W&B Manual (Temporary Revision dated 14 f'El3 II), Chapter 3, 

paragraph 2.T .2 requires the loading agent to verify the actual weight of CO MAT 

loaded in the aircraft. 

SkyWest's W&.B Manual (Temporary Revision dated 14 FEB ll), Chapter 3, 

paragraph 3.B.2. states the flight deck crewmember uses the information from the 

CLR to construct the A CARS load manifest. 

Sky West's W&B Manual, Chapter 4, paragraph 8.14, requires the loading agent to 

write the total weight (in pounds) of COMA T loaded in each cargo bin/pil on the 

CLR. 

SkyWest's ~&B Manual, Chapter 4, paragraph II- Aircraft Loading, contains the 

4B warning: 

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COMPLAINT 

FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 2011NM060081 

Page 3 of7 

JEFFREY M. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417~ FAX: 425.227.1007 
09/28/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA + OMS Ill 004/007 

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.-------------~··--------------------------~ 

/!:j WARNING -INACCURATE LOADING, 

REPORTING7 OR FAILURE TO REPORT 

INFORMATION COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH 

AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING, 

RESULTING IN THE ENDANGERMENT OF HUMAN 

LIFE. '-------------·--.. --------·"""'' .......... , ... '""'"" ---·.- ···'"" ---- -

m. 

On June 15~ 2011, at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah, 

Sky West loaded passengers and baggage onto N603SK, to be operated a~ Flight 478 I 

bound for Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO), Reno Nevada. 

SkyWest's personnel at SLC loaded 190 pounds ofCOMAT onto N603SK. 

The CJ,R for Flight 4781 lists 160 pounds ofCOMAT on hoard N603SK. 

The inaccurate data on the CLR was used to constmct the ACARS load manifest for 

Flight 4 781. 

SkyWcst thereafter operated N603SK as Flight 4781 to RNO. 

IV. 

Sky West has paid civil penalties ln eight previous cases involving loading of cargo 

and baggage contrary to approved procedures. 

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of the Federal Aviation Regulations (14 C.P.R.): 

a. Section 119.5(g), in that, as a direct air carrier, it operated in violation of an 

appropriate operations spcci1ications. 

b. Section 119.5(1), in that it operated aircraft under Pan 121 in violation of its 

operations specifications. 

c. Section 121.693(a), in that it operated flights wilhout a load manifest that 

acclJrately ret1ected the weight ofthe cargo and baggage. 

d. Section 121 .693( c), in that it operated flights when lhe tolal weight of the aircraH 

was not computed under approved procedures. 

COMPLAINT 

FAA v. Sky West Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 20 IINM060081 

Page 4 of7 

JEFFREY M. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417: FAX: 425.227.1007 
09/26/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA + OMS 

e. Section 121 .693(d), in that it operated flights when the aircraft was not loaded 

according to an approved schedule. 2 

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2. In accordance with Sections 46301 (a) and (d) of Title 49 ofthe United States Code 

7 (U.S.C.) (Transportation) [49 U.S.C. Sections 46301(a) and (d)], SkyWest is liable for a civil 

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9 penalty not to exceed $27,500 f()r each of the violations noted. 

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3. Under the facts and circumstances of this case, a civil penalty of $40,000 is 

14 appropriate. 

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WHEREFORE, the Agency, hy counsel, respectfully requests that the Administrative 

Law Judge enter an order that Sky West be assessed a civil penalty in the amount of$40,000. 

23 ResJ>ectfully submitted this16th day of'Augu.st, 2012. 

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J -t;Harper 

~/h-~---·-

f A Attorney 

@ 005/007 

COMPLAINT 

f1 AA v. Sky West Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 20llNM060081 

Page 5 of7 

JEFFREY M. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417~ Fl\X: 425.227.1007 
09/28/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA -. OMS 

1 ANSWER 

2 

J In accordance with Section 13.209 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, Sky West Airlines, 

4 Inc., must answer Lhis Complaint not later than thirty (30) days from the 6me it is served on 

s it. Failure to file an Answer within Lhirty (30) days without good cause shall be deemed an 

6 admission of the truth of each allegation contained in the Complaint [14.C.F.R. Section 

7 l3.209(f)J. 

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COMPLAINT 

FAA v. Sky West Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 20llNM060081 

Page 6 of7. 

JEFFREY M. HARPF:R, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL; 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 

141008/007 
09/28/2012 13:53 FAX 2024935142 FAA -------------- + OMS .......... 

1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 2 

3 I hereby certifY that the foregoing Complaint ha~ been served via facsimile and certified mail 

4 - Return Receipt Requested this date, to the following: 5 

6 

1 Federal Aviation Administration (Original and one copy) 

a Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

9 Wilbur Wl'ight Building- Suite 2Wl 000 

10 800 Independence Avenue SW 

u Washington, D.C. 20591 

12 Fax: (202) 493-5142 

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1 5 

16 Todd Emerson, Esq. 

17 Sky West Airlines 

18 444 S. River Road 

19 St. Ge()rge, UT 84 790 

2o TEL: (435) 634-3530 

21 1-"AX: (435) 634-3505 22 

23 

2-1 Dated this 161

h day of August, 2012. 

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COMPLAINT 

fM v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FA/\ Case No. 2011NM060081 

Page 7 of7 

.TEFI-'Rf.Y M. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 

@007/007