08/15/2012 14:21 FAX 2024835142 FAA 

08/14/2912 06:17 4252271087 ,C,NM7 

0 

U.S. Deparrment 

Of Transportation 

Federal A"iation 

Administration 

Office of Regional Counsel 

August 14, 2012 

Northwest Mountain Regi&n 

Colorado, Idaho, Montana, 

Oregon, Utnh1 Washington, 

Wyoming 

-+ OMS 

1601 Lind Aven.ue S.W. 

Renton.. Washington 98057 

Tel: (425) 227-2161 

Fruc (425) 227-1007 

JBFFREY,HARPER@f'AA.GOV 

VIA FACSU0JLE AND CERTIFIED MAIL· RETURN RECEIPTREQUESTED 

Atm: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

Hearing Doo.ket 

Federal Aviation Administration 

(Wilbur Wright Bldg-· Room 2W1000) 

800 Independence Avenue S.W. 

Washington, .D.C. 20591 

, Re: bi the Matter ofSkyWest Airlines, FAA Case No. 20llNM060072 

Enclosed is an origir.lal and one ropy of a request for hearing and Complaint.in the abovereferenc-ed proceeding. · · · . 

The Federal A v:iation Administration (FAA) requests that the bearing in this matter be held in 

Salt Lake City) Utah, and expects that tbe hearing wil\ last one (1) day. 

~ 002/008 

PAGE 132/89 

For scheduling purposes, FAA Attorney, Jeffrey Hatper tVill be unavailable due to military duty on 

October 1.2-15, November 2-5, and November 31-December 3, 2012. · 

Please addre.s~ all conununicati.ons for the FAA to the undersigned at: 

Federal AviationAdministratio!l 

Northwest Mountain. Region, ANM-7 

1601 Lind Avenue S.W. 

Renton, Washington 98057 

Telephone; (425) 227-2161 

FAX: (425) 227·1007 

. Si~cere y, · 

.~,~ J ... Harper ·. FAA Attorney 

J.J\1H/ds 

Enclosures: Request for Hea1'ing (Appeal) · Complaint 
08/15/2012 14:21 FAX 2024935142 FAA -+ OMS · 08/14/2012 06!17 4252271807 

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JEFFREY HARPE.R. 

FAA OFFJCE OF REOtONAI..COUNSE.L 

1601 LJNb AVE., SW 

RENTON. W ASBTNGTON 98057 

TELEPHo:~·n;:: (425) 227-2161 

F' ACSTMJLE: (425) 227~ 1 007 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

OFFICE OF HEARINGS 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

In the Matter of: 

SkyWest Airljnes FAA Case No. 2011N11060072 

.Tll.dge Not Assigned 

nJDGE NOT ASSIGNED: 

COMPLAINT 

The Federal Aviation Admin;stration (FAA), by counsel, hereby files its Complaint. 

32 pu:rsuant to Rule 208 of the Rules ofP:~:actice (14 Code ofFeder~l Regulations (C.F.R.) 33 

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Section 13.208), and states as follows: 

I. 

On July26~ 2012, Sk:yWest Airlines, Inc., was advised through a Fin.al Notice of 

Proposed Civil Pc~alty that the FAA proposed to assess a civil penalty in the amollnt of 

$40.000. O.n August 8, 2012, SkyWest Airlines, Inc., through legal counsel, submitted a 

written request for a hearing. 

COMPLAINT 

FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, In.c. 

FAA Case No. 2011NM060072 

Page 2 of7 

II. 

JEFFREY M. J·{,.;.RiER., FAA ATTORNEY 

TE.L: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.2~7.1 007 

141003/009 

PAGE 03/09 
08/15/2012 14:21 FAX 2024935142 FAA + OMS 141004/009 

PAGE 04/EI9 88114/2812 06:17 4252271087 ANM7 

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

Scheduled Air Carrier Ce.rtifieate N'o. SWIA011A, and conducts its operations 

purs~t to Part 121 oft~e Federal ~viation ~egulations (FAR). 

Pare.graph D085 of ~kyWest's Operations Spocificai:ions (OpSpecs) authoriz:e_s 

Sky West to use N744SK~ a Bombardier CL-600-2Cl 0 civil aircrafl:,, in the cuoduct of 

· SkyWest's Part 121 operations. 

Pa:ra.graph A09S ofSkyWest's OpSpec:s requires that aircraft loading for Bombardier 

CL-600-2Cl0 aircraft be· accomplished in accordance with SkyWesfs Wejght & 

Balance Operations Manual, SP4LOO, (W&B Manual), .. Part XI!, revision Orig ofl 

APR 10.'' 

SkyWest's W&B Manual contains the loading schedules and instntctions for 

Sky West's _Bombardier CL-600-2C10 aircraft.. 

SkyWest's W&B Manual~ Chapter 2, paragraph 2.A.58 defines "Standard Checked 

Bag" as a "checked bag weighing 50 I~ or less.'' 

SkyWest's W&B Manual (Temporary Revision dated 14 F':EB 11), Chapter 3, 

paragraph 2.0.1. states the "designated CD Ground Operations loading agelJt · 

evaluates the classification of all checked baggage (eitb~ standard or heavy). The 

designated loading agent must mark the nutl'lbcr of standard aud heavy checked 

bagga.ge on the CJ..R." 

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

paragraph 2.1.2 states that ''[u]pon completion of loadiTJg the cargo bin/pit, the 

designated Joading agent must verjfy the _piece count of all Standard Cheeke.d, Hea-vy 

Checked, an~ Planeside Loaded/Service Item Baggage ... " 

SkyWest's W&B Manual (Temporary Revisio11. <fated 14 FEB 11), Chapter 3, 

paragraph 3.B.2. states the flight dec,k cre\Vtnember uses the information from the 

CLR to construct the A CARS load manifest. 

SkyWest's W&B Manual, Chapter 4, paragraph 8.8~ requires the loading agent to 

write the total number of standard checked baggage loaded in each cargo bin/pit in tlJe 

apJ?T.Opriate "Standard Checked'' block on ·tbe CLR. 

10. SkyWesfs W&B Ma11ual, Chapter 4, paragraph 11- Aircraft Loading, contains the 

warning: 

COMPLAINT. 

FAA v. SkyWcst Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Ca.se No. 20J 1NM060072 

Page 3 of7 · 

J.EFFR.EY M. HAIU'ER, FAA A TT'OF{NEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417;-fAx: 425.227.1001 
08/15/2012 14:21 FAX 2024935142 FAA " OMS 

08!14/2012 06:17 ~252271B07 ANM7 

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~WARNING - INACCURATE LOADING, 

REPORTING, OR FAILURE TO REPOR.T 

INFORMATION COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH 

AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING, 

RESULTING IN THE ENDANGERMENT OF HUMAN 

LIFE. 

III. 

On May 5, 2011, at George Bush Intercontinental/ Houston Airp~rt (IAH), Houston, 

Texas, SkyWest loaded passengers and baggag~ o.nto N744SK, to. be operated as 

Flight ·1160 bound for Ci'ty of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS)p Colorado 

Springs~ Colorado. ' 

SkyWesfs p~rsonuel at IAH loaded 35 standard checked bags onto N744SK. 

The CLR for Flight.1160 lists 23 standard checked bags on boMd N744SK. 

The inaccurate da~a on the CLR was used to construct the A CARS load manifest for 

Flight 1160. 

SkyWest thereafter operated N744SK as Flight 1160 to ~OS. 

IV. 

16. · Sky West has paid civil pe.nal1;ies in eight previous cases invo.lving loading of cargo 

and baggage contrary to approved procedures. 

v. 

By reason of the foregoing facts. and circumstan.ces, SkyWest violated the :following sectio.ns 

' . 

of the Fedaal Aviation Regulations (14 C.F.R.): 

a. Seerion 119.5(g), in that! as a direct air carrier, it opera.ted In violation ofan 

appropriate operations specification. 

b. Section 119.5(1). in that itope:rated atrcraf't under Par.t 121 in viol~tio:o. of its 

operations specifications. 

4.9 c. Section 121.693(a), in that it operated flights without a. load .manifest that 

so accurately rt!!flected the wejght ofthe cargo and baggage. 

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@ 005/009 

PAGE 05/09 

CONWL~ . FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 2011NM060072 

Page4 Df7 

.TeFFREi:' M. HARPER. FAA A iTORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1 417; FAX: 425.227.1007 
08/15/2012 14:21 FAX 2024935142 ~v•~·•L~~£ ~o;,, · q~o~~fl00? FAA -> OMS 

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d. Sec~on 121.693(c). in that it operated flights when th~ total we.igb~ ofthe aircraft 

WS;S not cor:nputed un.der approved procedures. 

e. Section 121.693( d), in tha.t it operated flights when the, aircraft was not loaded acc~rding t~ an approv~d schedule. · 

In accordance with Scct;ons 4630l(a) and (d) of Title 49 ofthe United States Codll.l • 1 I' 

(U.S.C.) (rransportatioft) [49 U.S.C. Sectloris 46301 (a) and (d)),.SkyWest is liable for a civil· 

penalty .not to exceed $27~500 for each of the violations noted. 

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l6 . Under .. f~e facts aod circumstances oftbh case, a civil p~alty of$40;000 is 

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appropriate. 

'WHEREFORE, the Agency, by 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~ 

Respectfully submhted this 14th day of August, 2012. 

FAA 

J.~~-~ Attorney 

COMPLAIN! . 

FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 201 1NM060072 

Page 5 of7 

JEFFREY M. IiARPE.R, F A.A. A 1\0RN.ey 

TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 

141008/009 

PAGE 05/€19 
08/15/2012 14:22 FAX 2024935142 

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<1252271 Elf:l7 

FAA + DMS 

ANMi' 

ANSWER 

3 In accordance with Section 13.209 of the Fede1:al Aviation RegulatiQns, SkyWest Airlines, 

4 Inc., must answer this Complaint not later than thi'rty (30) days from the time it is served o.n 

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

r; admission of the truth of each allegation contained i1,1 the Complaint [14.C.F.R. Section 

7 13.209(t)]. . B 

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s:; 

COMPLAINT 

FAA v. S.kyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Ca.seNo. 2011NM060072 

Page 6 of7 

... 

JEFFREY M. HARPER., FAA A ITORNEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 

laJ 007/009 

PAGE EJ7/e!9 
08/15/2012 14:22 FAX 2024935142 FAA + OMS BB/14/2012 e6:17 4252271007 

ANM7 

1 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 2 

I hereby certify that the foregoing Complaint has been. serv~d via facsimile and certified mail 4 . - Return Rece).pt Requested this date, to the following: 

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Federal Aviation Adrninistratio11 (Original and one copy) Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC·430 

W.:ilbur Wright Building- Suite 2W1 000 

800 Independence Avenue SW 

Washington, D.C. 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 14u, day of August, 2012. 

COMPLAINT 

FAA v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. 

FAA Case No. 201 1NM060072 

Page 7 of7 

aoa Stephenson. 

Office of Regional Counsel (ANM-7) 

Federal Avia.tion Administration 

1601 Lind Ave. SW 

Renton, WA 98057 

(425) 227-2164 

JEFFRE"f M. HARPER, FAA A TTOR.NEY 

TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 

~ 008/009 

PAGE: 08/139 
08/15/2012 14:22 FAX 2024935142 

08/1~/2012 BS:17 4252271007 

OS/08/2012 U:27 FAX 4:tfi634.3505 

Direer Dial: 435.634.3530 

Direet Pax: 435.634.3505 

~-mail: !Saw."von@sk~_cSI.@m 

FAA 

ANM7 

PF.:OPLE 

August 8, 2012 

VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS 

Federal Aviation Administration 

A TI'N: Hearing Docket Clerk~ AGC"430 

Wilbur Wright Building- Suite 2Wl000 

800 Independence Avenue SW 

Washington, DC 20591 

Re: Case No. 2011NM060072 

Dear Si~:!Madam: 

+ OMS 

The Final Notice of Proposed Civil Penalty in the above-referenced ease was . received in our office Oil July 30. 2012. 

Pursuant to § 13.16 ( e)(2) (ii) of Federal Air Regulations, SkyWest Airlines hereby requests a hearing on this marter. 

/ 

~erely, 

··~(.-~ 

Todd C. Emerson 

Director- Government and Legal Affairs 

TCE/jb 

cc: Jeffrey M. Harper 

~ 009/009 

PAGE 09/139 ~ll05