10/09/2012 12:30 4252271007

JEFFREY HARPER FAA OFFICE OF REGIONAL, COUNSEL 1601 LIND AVENUE SOUTHWEST RENTON, WASHINGTON 98057 TELEPHONE: (425)**227~2161** FACSIMILE: (425) 227-1007 ANM7



# wz r 1

## s 2 : 2b

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATlON OFFICE OF 

### HEARINGS

WASHINGTON, 

### D.C.

Inthe Matter of: Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. 

### FAA Case No. 20 11NM070089 DMS No.: 

### FAA-2012-0783 Honorable Richard C. Goodwin



### COMPLAINANT'S INITIAL DISCOVERY 

### REQUEST

To Respondent:
In accordance with 14 C.P.R.§ 13.220 an.d the Federal Rules ofCivil Pt•ocedure, please respond to the following Interrogatories, Requests for Production ofDocuments, and Request for 

### Admissions, separately and fully under oath by November 8•.2012.
These discovery 

### requests are jntended to discover 

### information and/or documents 

### not only within 

### your personal knowledge or obtainable by you, 

### but also information in 

### the possession ofor obtafuable byyour**attorn.eys~** investigators, representatives, employees. agents, or anyone acting on. your behalfor 

### on tbeirbehalf. These discovery requests are continuing in nature ru1d any 

### information. which maybe 

### discovered byyou subsequent to the se1"Vice an.d filing ofyour answers must bebrought to the atten.tion ofthe agency attorney through supplemental answers**w~en** itbecomes available to you, at a reasonable time prim· to the hearing in this matter. Ifthere are any · additions, deletions or changes in the answers or information

### provided at any time prior to hearing the Respondent is specifically requested to so immediately inform tl::te agency 

### attorney. Ifsuch information is not

### furnished~ the agency attorney at the time ofthe hearing will move to exclude from evidence such information requested and not furnished.

' Complainant's Init.inl Discovery Request

FAA v. Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. DMS No. F**AA~2012-0783** Pagel of8 JEFF'REY Jv.[. liA!U'ER, FAA ATTORNEY TEL: (425) 227-2161; FAX: (425) 227"1007 PAGE 02/0910/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7

The agency attorney further requests thatthe Respondent

### produce the documents identified and designated herein for inspection and 

### copying at th.e Federal

### Aviation Adnrlnistration (FAA) Office ofRegional 

### CoUDSel) Suite 570, 1601. Lind

### Avenue, Southwest,

### Renton~ Washington 98057, by November 8, 20.U. 

### fRIVI.LEGE If, inresponding to, or failing to respond to these Interrogatories, Requests for Admission and Requests for Production. you invoke 

### or 

### rely upon 

### any privilege of

### any kind, state

. specifically the nature ofthe privilege; the basis upon which you invoke, rely upon, or claim it, including 

### any statutory or decisj.onal reference; an.d identizy all docur.nen,..ts; or otb.er information, jncluding contacts and

### conununications..:~ which you believe to be embraced by the privilege invoked. DATED this 9thday ofOctober, 2012.



# f.4h.**~4---** J.M. Harper FAAAttorney PAGE 03/09

Com.pJ.aimmt's Initial Discovery Request FAA v. Leading Edge Aviation, [nc. DMS No. FAA-2012-0783 J'EFFREY M. }.TATU'!R, FAA Arro:rtmY TEL: (425} 227-;2.161; FAX: (425):227·1 007
Page2 ofS10/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7

INTERROGATORIES Interrogatory No. 1:**Ident~fY** by name, address, and telephone number all persons whom Leading Edge Aviati.on, Inc. (Leading Edge) knows to have personal knowledge ofthe matters alleged in the Complaint, to include but not limited to all Leading Edge employees who perfonn.ed any work relating to Leading Edge Work Order SV-1 0-3988. Interrogatory No. 2: Identify by title,**date~ author~**  present 

### custodian, and content, all documents, including correspondence, obtained 

### by you or in

### your possession, relating to the assertions in the Complaint, your appeal, yout answer, and any affinnative defenses which 

### you anticipate rais.lng :in this 

### matter. See Request for Production 

### No. 1. InterrogatoryNo.**~:** IdentifY by name,. address and telephone**number~** all persons whom you inte:o.dto have testify as a factual or expert witness in your defense at the hearing inthis m.atter, and for 

### factual witnesses, provide a detailed 

### summ.ary ofeach person's anticipated testimony. Interrogatozy No.4: Identify by title, date, author, present custodian, and content, 

### all documents which you anticipate offering into evidence or using atthe hearing in this matter, and tl:trough which witness or witnesses the document will be offered. See Request for Production

### No. 2. Integogatorx No. 5: With respect to each expertwito.ess identified inresponse to Interrogatory No. 3l specify their specific area ofexpertise, and provide a synopsis oftheir**credentials~ b~ckground,** **training~** and experience. Interrogatozy No. 6: With respect to each expert you expectto call as a**witness~** state the subject matter on which the expert is expected to testify, state. the substance ofthe facts attd opinions to which the expert is expected to testify, and provide a summary ofthe grounds · for 

## each such opinion. · InterrogatozyNo, 7: Describe 

### -with specificity all ofthe fa,cts which you 

### anticipate presenting inthe course ofthe hearing intlus matter pertaining to the avoidance or mitigation ofthe sanction sought bythe FAA i.:o. this case. 

### Intenogatorv.:No. 8: State byname, address, telephone number, date ofconversati.on., and substance ofconversation, all persons, other than legal counsel or your spouse, 

### wi.th whom you ha;ve discussed 1he matte.rs alleged 

### inthe Complaint. In.terrogatQtY No. 9: For each all.ega.tion inthe Complaillt 1hat is denied-whether outright or as aresult ofhaving insufficient information or knowledge from which to form a belief as to the truth ofthe allegation-statewith specifi.ci:ty the facts 1hat are the basis for that Comple.inanfs Initial Discov¢ry Request FAA v. Leading Edge Aviation., lnc. OMS No. FAA-2012-0783 Page 3 of8 JEFFREY M.**lt'l.~ FAAA~Y**  1EL: (425)**22i"2161~** f'AX: (425) 227·1007 PAGE 04/0910/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7

denial as well as the inquiries taken 

### to deterr.o.ine that the allegation inthe complaint is not correct. See Request for Production No.3. InterrogatoryNo.jO: 

### For any ofthe requests for admissions below that are deniedwhether outrightor as a result ofha:ving insufficient information or knowledge from which to form a beliefas-to the tmth ofthe al.legation- state with specificity the facts and eyidence which are the basis for that denial as well as ihe inquiries takento detennine that the facts in the request for admission are not correct See Request fo:r Production No. 4. :Interrogatory

### No. 11: Describe with specificity all facts or evidence you intend to rely upon in support of

### any affinnative defenses raised in 

### any Answer to the 

### Complaint See Request 

### for Producti,on No. 5.**I:n.~errogatalY** No. 12: State 

### Vv'ith specificity each and every reason that you believe that N5758H was airworthy at the time thatLeadit'l.g EdgeAviation, Inc. returned 

### it to service on or about 

### February 17, 20 11.. Interrogatory No. 12: IdentifY which FA.A_..app:r.oved data Leading Edge Aviatio!4 Inc. used when itpexfonned the subject inspection OJ::t N5758H. ' InterrogatoryNo. ·13: State each alld every reason that Leading Edge 

### Aviation, Inc., 

### through its agentTravis Warthen, offeredto contribute $2.000 to Terry Mackey ofMustang Helicopters to correct airwortlrlness issues observed after February 17, 2011 on N5758H. REQUESTS FOR PRODUCTION Reguest for ProductionNo. 1: Provide a copy ofall documents referred to in your answer to Interrogatory 

### No.2 Requ§st for Production

### No. 2: Provide a 

### copy ofall documents referred to inyour answer to Interrogatory No.4.
Reauest for Prod.ucti.gn

## No. 3: Provide a copy ofall documents that supportyour answer to Interrogatory 

### No. 9. Reguest for ProductionNo. 4: Provide a 

### copy of

### all documents that support your 

### answer to Interrogatory No. 10. Request for Production No. 5: Provide a**co~y** ofall**doc~ents** that support your answer to InterrogatoryNo. 11.

Complainant's Inl.tial Disco"Very Request FAA v. Leading Edge Aviation. Inc. DMS No. FAA-2.Ql 2·0783**Page~** of8**J~Y** M. liA:RPER. FAA ATTORNEY TEL: (425) ;227-2161; FAX: (4-25) 227-1007 PAGE 05/0910/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7

Request for Production No. 6: Provide a copy ofany and all documents which would demonstrate that the fact that the Bell 206L-1 aircraft was not on Leading Edge's Capability List VJaS a typographical error. Request for ProductionNo. 7: Provide a copy ofany and all documents 

### in the possession of Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. that are relevant to the airworthiness ofN5758H, created after 

### February 17.2011. This requests includes, 

### but is not limited to,**corre~pondence** 

### withthe aircraft's owners, correspondence with subsequent repair stations thatworked onN5758H, offers to pay for or payments for further maintenance on the rorcraft (including cancelled**checks)~** and any other communications made with any party conce.r.ning the airwortb.iu.ess ofthis aircraft. Request for Production No. 8: Provide a 

### copy of

### any and all documents relevant to the work that Leading Edge Aviation, h1.c. perfonned onN5758H, inclucling but not limited to photographs, notes, correspondence, atl.d other written observations. Request far Production No. 9: Provide a copy ofall Capability List SelfEval;uation Fonns completed by Leading EdgeAviation, Inc., to spccifi.cally include butnot limited to those described 

### in Leading Edge Aviation. 

### h1c. 's 

### Repair. Station 

### Manual, Rev date 

### .02/27/2009, Section 

### 2, Paragraph 

### 2.4 Capability List. · Reguest for ProductionNo. 10:**~rovided** a copy ofall in:voices.**receipts~** contracts and otl1er financial records relating to 

### N5758H. REQ_UEST FOR

### ADMISSIONS
Under 14 C.F.R § 13.220(b) and Rule 36 ofthe Federal Rules ofCivilProcooure, you are requested to admit the tr.ll.th ofthe following matters. Amatter is admitted unless responded to in a reaso:oable tim.e. The Rules ofPractice inFAA Civil Penalty

### Actions, 14 C.F.R. § 13.220(d), defmes a reasonable time to be 30 days. The agency requests that an answer be served upon the agency. attorney either admitting the matter, specifically denying the matter, stating whythe matter cannot be admitted or denied, or objecting to the request, with
reasons for the objection stated within 30 days oftb.e date ofservice upon you, that is,

. 

### November 8, 2012. Request for AdmissionNo. 1: Admit ihatthe manufacturer ofN5758H was Bell Helicopter. Request forAdmissionNo. 2: Admit that Exhibit 1 is an authentic copy ofLeading Edge's complete Airframe Capability List as it existed on February 17**~** 2011. Request for Admission No. 3: Admit that the only Make/Model/Series ofaircraft manufaci:ured by Bell listed oo. Exhibit 1 are "'206AIB series." Complainant's Initial**Dis~o-very** Request FAA v. Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. OMS No. FAA.·201.2-0783 Page 5ofS JEFFREY M. HA.R.T'ER, FAA ATTORNEY TEL: (425) 227-2161; FAX: (425) 227·1007 PAGE 06/09**10/09/201~** 12:30 4252271007 ANM7

Reguest for Admission No. 4: Admit**th~t** Bel1206L-1 aircraft are notBel1206A aircraft or Bell 206B aircraft. Reguest for AdlnissionNo. 5: Admitthat Exhibit 2 constitutes excerpts from the Bell Helicopter Inspection program for Bell 206L-1 aircraft that was curtent on February 17, 2011. Request for Admissiontio. 6: Admit thatExhibit 3

### is an 

### authentic copy ofan 

### entry made in the aircraft logbooks ofN5758H by Leading Edge.
Roouest for AdmissionNo. 7: Admit that Exhibit 3refers to the inspection program which is excerpted in Exhibit 2.**~uest** for AdmissionNo, 8: Admit that Leading Edge used 

## or should 

### have used an inspection program from Bell Helicopter during 

### its Febru.azy 17**~** 2011 inspectio11. of NS758H. Request for Adm.ission No.9: Admit that, for each subpat.agraph ofParagraph 11 ofthe Co1n;pla.tn:t, the qu.oted language appears in. Exhibit 2. Reguest for Admission No. 19: Admit that Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. was required to follow the instructions that appear inParagraph 11 oftb.e Complaint. Request for AdmissionNo. 11: Admitthat Exhlbit 4 is a complete and authentic copy ofthe work orderreferred to in Exhibit 3. Request for Adm.i,ssion No,**l~:** Admit th.at "Discrepancy: 16" inExhibit 41ists "Problem: 

### AIC leak. Action Taken: Unable to service due to ambient air temperature." ;Bpquestfor Admission No. 13; Adrirlt that each oftb.e discrepancies id.entifi.ed in allegation number 16 ofthe Complaint existed atthe time that Leading Edge returned NS758Hto service on or aboutFebiUary 17, 2011. Reg.,uest for AdmissionNo. 14: Adm.it that Leading Edge does nothave anAviation Safety Action Program. · Reguest for AdmissionNo.**1~:** Admit that repair stations operating under 14 C.F.R Part 145 have, since December 6, 2010, been required to use the web-based system available at https://av-info.faa.gov/vdrp/ 

### to make voluntary disclosures to the FAA.

Complainmt's Initi.Eil Discovery Reqllest: FAA v. LeadingEdgeAviati.on, J.no. DMS 'No. FAA-2012.·0783 Page 6 ofS JEI"FFJ!Y M. HARPER, FAAAno1tNEY TEL: (425) 227-2161; FAX: (425) 227·1007 PAGE 07/0910/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7 PAGE 08/09

B,_egu.est for AdmissionNo. 16: Admitthat Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. did not "self-report" (i.e. voluntarily disclose) any issues via the Voluntary Discloswe Reporting Program web### bas~d reporting system available at https:/

### /av~info.faa.gov/vdrp/ in201

### 0~ 2011, or 2012. Reguest for AdmissionNo. 17: Admit that Leading Edge Aviation. Inc. did not

### "self~report" (i.e. voluntarily disclose) 

### any issues with a nexus to N5758H viathe Voluntary Disclosure Reporting

### Pro~ web-based reporting system available at

### https~//av-info.faa.gov/vdrp/. ReqUest for Admission No. 18: Admitthat for a "self-report" (i.e. voluntary disclosure) of
an apparent violationto be mitigating, the report must be m.ade before the FAA discovers the apparent

### violation~ the reporter musttake immediate action to correct fue non.compliance, and must work with th.e FAA on steps to preclude recurrence ofthe apparent**violat~on.** Request for 

### Admission. No. 19: Admit that Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. is a ''small

### busin~ss con.cem" as defined by 15 U.S.C. § 632, 13 C.F.R. § 121.105, aqd 13 C.P.R.§ 121.201. · Request for Admission No. 20: Admit that tb.e $33,000 sought

### in this case is consistent with theAdministrator's sanction guidelines found in FAA Order 2150.3B. Request 

### for AdmissionNo. 21: Admitthat Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. has the financial ability to paythe proposed penalty of$33,009. Request for Ad.miss.ionNo. 22: AdmH that Leading Edge Aviation, Inc. has been in business for more than two decades.

Cor.nplainant's Jn.i.tial Discovery Request FAAv, Leading Edge Aviation. Inc. DMSNo. FAA-2012·0783 Page 7 of8 .TT;.'L"FREY M.**H/o.ru'~** FAA AITOR.l;>.l'l;Y TEL: (425) 227-2161; FAX: (4:25) 227·1007• 10/09/2012 12:30 4252271007 ANM7



### CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that the for:egoing Initial Discovery Request has been served via fa.cshnile (without exhibits attached) and Certified Mail- Return Receipt Requested (without exhibits attached) this date, to 'tl1e following: The Honorable Richard C. Goodwin. Office ofHearings, M-20 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.**(E~** 1-310) Washington, D.C. 20590 

### TEL: (202)**366~21~9** FAX: (202) 366-7536 Federal Aviation Administration (Original and one copy) 800 Independence Avenue SW Washington, D.C. 20591 

### Attn: Hearing Docket Clerk, 

### AGC-430 Wilbur Wright Building- Suite 2Wl000**F~:** (202) 493-5142 I hereby certify that the foregoing Initial' Discbv.ery Request has been served via. facsimile (with.out exhibits attached) and Certified Mail- Return Receipt Requested (with exhibits attached) this

### date~ to the following: ' Fred C.**Begy~** Esq. 

### Chuhak & Tecson 30 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2600 Chicago, IL 60606 Tel: (312)**855~5442** Fax: (312)**444~9027** Dated this 9th day ofOctober, 2012.

Ter

. · k 0 ·'lee ofRegiona. Counsel (ANM"7) Federal Aviation Adm.inistration 1601 Lind Ave. 

### SW Renton, W A 98057 (425)**227~2160**

Complainant's In.itial Discovery Request FAA v, Leading; Edge Avia.tion., Inc. DMS No. FAA-2012-0783 Page 8 ofS .Ja-F.FREY M. HARPEF., FAAATTORNEY TEL: (4:l5) 227-2161; FAX: (425)**22~·1007** PAGE 09/09