**~,,.,,,**

### ..T'tNT

# or:**·;·:'{;:l~sroR""TAJlO~~**

# -r. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

## <.CKETOPERtt
..l!0•··0 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION 

### 1''1 ' 1

### 'G l·b D 

### 1: 5\ In the Matter of: Mesa Airlines, Inc., Respondent. ) 

### ) .!JIJ iiU ' ) FDMS No. FAA-2013-0614 

### ) ) FAA Case No. 2012WP370048 )

_________________)JudgeR. Goodwin ANSWER OF MESAAIRLINES, INC.
Communications with respect to this document should be addressed to: Christopher J. Pappaioanou V.P. Legal Affairs Mesa Air Group, Inc; 410 North 441 h Street, Suite 700 Phoenix, AZ 85008 TEL: 602-685-4000 FAX: 602-685-4350

August 9, 2013

\\DC·023866/000002 •4747183 vi Robert 

### E. Cohn Patrick R. Rizzi HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP Columbia Square 555 Thirteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20004 +1 202 637 4999/5659 robert.cohn@hoganlovells.com patrick.rizzi@hoganlovells.com Counsel for MESAAIRLINES, INC.

### In the Matter of: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

## TRANSPORTA~ECEIVED FEDERALAVIATION

# ADMINISTRATI~ . ·· · August 9, 2013 

## AUG 1

## 22013 ) )

## ~E.ARlNG

# DOCKET

Mesa Airlines, Inc., ) FDMS No. FAA-2013-0614 ) 

### Respondent. ) FAA Case No. 2012WP370048 ) 

### -----------------)JudgeR. Goodwin ANSWER OF MESAAIRLINES, INC.


### Pursuant to 14 C.F.R. 

### § 13.209, Mesa Airlines, Inc. ("Mesa" or "Respondent"), through undersigned counsel, hereby answers the Complaint filed by the Federal Aviation Administration in this matter, and states as follows: I. 

### 1. RespondentADMITS Paragraph I ofthe Complaint.

II. 1. RespondentADMITS Paragraph 11(1) ofthe Complaint. 2. Respondent ADMITS Paragraph 11(2) ofthe Complaint, and further asserts that Mesa operated the flight on behalfof US Airways Express. 3. RespondentADMITS Paragraph 11(3) ofthe Complaint. 4. Respondent DENIES Paragraph 11(4) ofthe Complaint.

Ill. 

### 1. Respondent DENIES Paragraph Ill ofthe Complaint.

\\DC- 023866/000002 •4747183 vl

### Answer of Mesa Airlines, Inc. Page 2


### IV. 1. Respondent DENIES Paragraph IV(1) ofthe Complaint. 2. Respondent DENIES Paragraph IV(2) ofthe Complaint.

Affirmative Defenses 

### 1. The Complaint fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. 2. With respect to the flight 2688, Mesa complied in all respects with 14 C.F.R. §121.575(c). 3. The Complaint fails to allege any violation that is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence. 4. The Complaint fails to state a claim warranting the proposed Civil Penalty. 5. The amount of Civil Penalty which the FAA seeks in the Complaint is unjustified, excessive, arbitrary, and capricious. 6. Mesa specifically reserves the right to assert any and all other affirmative defenses to the Complaint which may be determined by the Respondent to exist as this matter proceeds.
Hearing Location 

### Mesa agrees to the FAA's request for the hearing for this matter to be held in Phoenix, Arizona.

\\DC- 023866/000002-4747183 vi\\DC.023866/000002.4747183 vi Answer of Mesa Airlines, Inc.
Respectfully submitted,

Robert E. Cohn Patrick R. Rizzi Counsel for Mesa Airlines, Inc. Page 3Answer ofMesa Airlines, Inc. Page4

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that a true copy of the foregoing Answer of Mesa Airlines, Inc. has been served this 9th day of August 2013, upon each of the following addresses: By U.S. Mail. postage prepaid, certified mail- return receipt requested (with a copy by e-mail) on: Theodore P. Byrne Attorney Office ofthe Regional Counsel, AWP-7 Federal Aviation Administration P.O. Box 92007 Los Angeles, CA 90009-2007 theodore.byrne@faa.gov By Overnight Delivery Courier and www.regulations.gov (with a copy by facsimile): Federal Aviation Administration 600 IndependenceAvenue, S.W. WilburWright Building, Suite 2W1000 Washington, DC 20591 Attention: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 Fax: 202-493-5123 (Original and one copy) By Overnight Delivery Courier and facsimile: The Honorable Richard C. Goodwin Administrative Law Judge Office of Hearings, M-20 1200 NewJerseyAvenue, S.E. (E11-310) Washington, D.C. 20590 Fax: 202-366-7536

\\DC •023866/000002 • 4747183 vI