a 08/13/2012 05:49 

# 0

U.S. Department 

### OfTransportation Federal Aviation Admi:o.istration 4252271007

Office ofRegional Counsel August.l3, 2012 ANM7

NorthwestMountain Region Colorado, Idaho. Montana, 

### Orego.n; Utah, Washington, Wyoming · 

### 1601 Lind Avenue S.W. Ren1on, Washington 98057 Tel: (425) 227-2161 Fax: (425) 227-1007 JEFFREY.HA.Rl>E:R@FAA.GOV



### VJA FACSIMILE AND CERTIFIED**MAIL~** 

### RETIJRN RECEJJ>T REQUESTED

At1n: Hearing Docket Clerk. AGC-430 

### Hearing Docket Federal 

### Aviation Administration (Wilbur Wright Bldg-- Room 2Wl000) 

### 800 Independence Avenue 

### S.W. C ...• ,, 

### PAGE 02/Clo



### Washington, D.C. 20591 

### FDtnS**~01&-** 

### 6 

## 8' 

## 73 I:::"Af\ 

### Cl..Oitl- 

### AlDft--e;pp- 

## I

# a 

# ogg Re: In the Matter of SkyWest Airlines, FAA Case No. 2011NM060063 

### Enclosed 

### is an ori.ginal and 

### one copy ofa request for hearing and Complaint in the abovereferenc·eq, proceeding.

. 

### The Federal Aviation 

### Adrnin1stration (FAA) requests that 

### the hearing in 

### this matter be 

### held 

### in Salt Lake City, 

### Utah, and expects that 

### the hearing will last 

### one (1) day. 

### Fer scheduling purposes, 

### FAA Attorney, Jeffrey 1-:lar.per. will be unavailable due to military duty on October 12-15, "N"ovember 2-5, 

### and :November 31-Decewber 3, 

### 2012. Please 

### address all 

### communications for the FAA to the 

### undersigned at: 

### Federal Aviation Administration Northwest Mountain 

### Region, ANM-7 1601 Lind Avenue S.W. Renton, Washington 98057. Telephone: (425) 

### 227-2161 FAX: (425)**227~1007** 

### Sincerely,

. 

# ii!/V

FAA 

### Attorney ' JMH/ds Enclosures: Request for Hearing (Appeal) Complaint

# ------------------- 08/13/2012 05:49 4252271007 

### ANM7 

### PAGE**~31eta**

3

5 6 7 JEFFREY HARPER F

### M OFPlCE OF REGIONAL COUNSEl,. 1601. LIN:OAVE., SW RENTON, WASHINGTON 98057 

### J:EJ

..EPHONE: (425) 227-2161
: FACSIMILE: (425) 227-1007
10 J.l**~3** l4 ;l.5 :1.6 17 18 ;l.9 20 21 42 23 24 25 .2G :n 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 3i 38 39 40 4. :l. 4:2 43 44 4.5 46 47 4B 49 

### so 51**s~** 53 

### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

## DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION OFFICE OF HEARINGS

WASHINGTON, D.C.

In the Matter of:

. 

### SkyWest Airlines



### JUDGE NOT ASSIGNED: FAA Case 

### No. 20 11NM060063 Judge Not Assigned



### COMPLAINT
The FederalAviation Admioistraticm (FAA), by**counsel~** hereby files its**C~mplaint,** pursuant to Rule 208 ofthe Rules ofPractice (14 Code ofFederal Regulations (C.F.R.)

. . Section 13.208), and states as follows:

I.
On July**26~** 201.2, SkyWest Airlines, Inc.,·was advised 

### through a Final Notice of**P~oposed** Civil Penalty that the FAA pmposed to assess a civil penalty in

# the amount of 

### $40,000. On August 8, 2012, SkyWest Airlines, Inc., through legal counsel, submitted 

### a
written 

### request for a hearing.

CO:MPLAINT 

### F

M 

### v. SkyWest Airlines, Inc. FAA Case No. 2011NM060063 Page2of7 

### II.

JEFFREYM, HARPER, FAAATTORNEY TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007

# ------------------ 138/13/2012 05:49 42522711307 

### ANM7 

## PAGE

l 2 3 4 5 6 7 ·a 9 10 ll' ;1,2 13 14 15 16 17 ;\.6 lSI 20 21 22 23 ?.A 25 26 27 ;!6**~9** 30 31 32 33 311 35 36 37 39 39 40 41 42 43 44 ;45 4,6 4,7 4S 4!1 50 51 52 53 1.

2.



### 3.



### 4.

5.

6.



### 7.



### 8.

9. SkyWest Airlines (SkyWest), is :o.ow and was at all times material herein the holder of Scheduled Air Carrier Cex:ctficate No. SWIAOllA, and 

### conducts its 

### operations , pursuant to Part t21 

### ofthe Federal Aviation**Regulatio~s** 

### (FAR). Paragraph D085 ofSkyWest's Operations Specificatio:o.s (OpSpecs) 

### authorizes · SkyWest to use N755SK, 

### a. Bombardier**CL~600-** 

### 2C 10 civil aircraft, in 

### the conduct of SkyWest's 

### Pan 121**operations~** 

### Paragr8:ph A098 ofSkyWest's OpSpecs requires that 

### aircraft loading for Bombardier**CL-600~2C10** 

### aircraft be accomplished in**ac~?ordance** 

### ·with SkyWest's Weight & 

### Balance Operations Manual, SP4100, (W&B Manual), "Part XII, revision. Ori.g of 1 

### APR 10." SkyWest's W&B Manual. contains the loading schedules and instructions for SkyWest's Bombardier CL-600-2C10 aircra:fi. SkyWest's**W~B** 

### Manual, Chapter 2, par.agr.aph. 

### 2.A.58 defmes "Standard Checked Bag" as a "checked bag weighing 50 lb or less." · SkyWest>s W&B Manual, ·chapter 2,.paragraph 2.A.24 defines ('HeaVy Checked**Bags'~** 

### as "[a]ny bag 

### that weighs 

### more ti;tan 50 

### lb but less than 

### 100 lb.'>

. ' 

### Sk:yWcst's W&B Manual (Temporary 

### Revi.sion dated 14 FEB 11), Chapter 3, · paragraph 2.D.**~.** 

### states the ''designated CD Ground Opetations loading agent evahtates the classification ofall checked baggage 

### (either standard or heavy). The

. desi.gnated loading agent must mark the number ofstandard and heavy checked 

### bagga.ge on the 

### CLR." SkyWest's W&B Man:ual (Temporary Reyision dated 14 FEB 11), Chapter 3, paragraph 2.1.2 states that "[u]pon completion ofloading the cargo bin/pit, the designated loading agent must verify the piece count ofall Standard Checked, Heavy Checked, an.d 

### Planeside Loaded/Service Item 

### Baggage

...,; SkyWesfs W&B Manual (Temporary Revisio11 dated 14 FEB 11), Chapter 3, paragraph 3.B.2. states the flight deck crewmeru.ber**use~** 

### the infonnation·frorn the 

### CLR to constn1ct 

### the ACARS Joad manifest 

### 10. Sky

### West's W&B Manual, 

### Chapter 4, paragraph**8.8~** 

### requires the loading agent

# to write the total number ofstandard checked bMgage 

### loaded in each cargo bin/pit in the appropriate "Standard Checked" :b.lock on the CLR.
11. SkyWest's W&B 

### Manual, Chapter 4, paragraph 8.10, reqUires the loading agent to write t):te total number ofPlaneside Valet/Service Items loaded i11·each 

### cargo bin/pit in the appropriate 

### "Planeside Valet/Service Items'' 

### block on t':1e CLR.



### COMPLAINT

. FAA. 

### v. ·skyWest 

### A1r\ines>l.nc. FAA Case No. 2011NM060063 Page 3 of7 JEPFRE.Y'M. HA.'R.l'ER, 

### FAA ATTORNEY

.TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007

# ________________

# ....

08/13/2012 06:49 4252271007 

### ANM7

;1. 12. 2**~** 4 5 6 7 8

10 11 ,,2 13 14" 15 13. l5 17 18 19 .20 

### n 14. 22 23 24 25 :2,6 27 28 29 30 

### :n 32 3:5- 34 15.**16~**

17. ' . SkyWest's W&B Manual, Chapter 4, 

### paragraph 11 -AircraftLoading, contains 

### the warning:

### ~ '\fVAR.NING.-INACCURATE LOADING, REPORTING, OR FAILURE TO REPORT INFORMATION COULD CAUSE ISSUES WITH AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND 

### HANOI...ING 1 RESULTING IN 

### THE ENDANGERMENT OF HUMAN LIFE.
III.

. On April 7, 

### 2011, at Chicago 

### O'Hare International Airport 

### (ORD), Chicago, Illinois, 

### SkyWest loaded. 

### passengers and baggage onto 

### N755SK, to 

### be operated 

### as 

### Flight 6'756 bound for 

### City ofColorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado 

### Spri.ngs, Colorado. 

### SkyWest's 

### personnel at ORD loaded 33 standard checked bags and 

### 2 heavy checked bags onto N755SK. 

### The 

### CLR for 

### Flight 6756lists 30 

### standard checked bags and 0 heavy 

### checked 15ags 

# on board N755SK.

. The**i~accurate** data

### on the 

### CLR was 

### used to construct 

### the ACARS load manifest for Flight 6756.

. . 

### SkyWest**~hereafter** 

### operated N755SK as**FUg~.t** 

### 6756 to· COS

.. IV.

35 18. 

### SkyWest 

### has paid 

### civil penalties 

### in eight previous cases 

### invoJving loading of

### cargo contrary to 

### approved procedw·es. 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 4,!;l 50 51 52 53 

## v
.. By 

### reason ofthe foregoing facts and circwnstan.ces, SkyWest 

### violated the following sections


### ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations (14 

### C.F.R:):

a. Section 119.5(g); in 

### that, as a direct air carrier;it operated in violation ofan appr?prlate operations 

### specification.
b. 

### Section**119.5(1)~** 

### in that it ope.rated ai.rcra:ft 

### under PaD: 121 

### in violati.on ofits operations specifications.

·COMPLAINT



### FAA 

### v. SkyWest Airlines, 

### lnc. FAA Case 

### No. 2011NM060063 

### Page 4 of7' ' JEFFREY M. HARPER, FA.A ATTORNEY TEL: 

### 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.100708/13/2012 05:49 4252271007 ANM7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 c. Section 121.693(a), in that it operated**fli.gh~s** v..i.thout a load manifest that accurately reflected the weight of1he cargo and baggage. · d. 

### Section 121.693(c), 

### in that it operated 

### :flights when the total 

### weight ofthe aircraft was not computed under approved procedures.



### e. Section 121.693(d), in that it operated 

### flights when 

### the aircraft was not 

### loaded according to an approved schedule.

11 

### 2. In accordance with Sections 46301(a) and (d) ofTitle 49 ofthe United States Code 12 :1.3 14**~.5** 115 17 (U.S.C.) (Transportation) [49 U.S.C. Sections 4630I(a) and (d)], SkyWest is liable for' a civil 

### penalty not

### to exceed $27,500 for each ofthe violations noted.

18 3. 19 Under the facts and circumstances ofthis case, a civil penalty of$40,000 is
20 2l**2~.** :n 24**~5** 26 27 28 29 30 n 32 33 34 35 36 '37 3a 39 40 4:1,

. 42. 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 so 51 ;52 53 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 submitted this 13th day ofAugust, 2012.

# iifi~**J.~arper** 

### . · FAAAttomey

' ' PAGE 05/08, ,

COMPLAINT FAA v. Sky West Airlines, Inc. 

### FAA Case 

### No. 201.JNM060063 Page 5 of7 JEFFREYM. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY TEL: 425.22.7.1417; FAX: 425.227.1007 ",'\,;08/13/2012 06:49 4252271007 ANM7

1**~S~R** 2 3 In accordance with Section 13.209 ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations, SkyWest Airlines! 4 Inc., must answer this Complaint not later than thirty (30) days from the time it is served on 

### s it 

### Failure to file 

### an Answer within thirty (30) 

### days without good cause shall be deemed an 6 admission ofthe truth ofeach allegation contained 

### in the Complaint [14.C.F.R. Section. 7 13.209(f)]. 

### s 9**~0 ~1** **l.~** l.3 14 15 16 17 16 l9 20 2:L 27. 23 24 25 2€ 27 28**2~** 30 :n 32 33 34 35 36 37

. 38,

:}9 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 4$ 4.9 so**5~** 52 53 PAGE 07/08

COMPLAINT 

### FAA v. 

### Sk:yWest Airlines, 

### lnc. FAA Case No. 2011NM060063 Page 6 of7 JEFFREY M. HARPER, FAA ATTORNEY TEL: 42.5.227.1417;-FAX: 425.227.1.00708/13/2012 05:49 4252271007 ANM7 PAGE 08/08

l 2**~** 4 5 5 7 ·s 9 :10 11 12 l3 14 15 15 ),7 lS 19 .20 21 

### .n .23 24 45 21'5 27 28 2S 30 3:1. 32, 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44. 45 46 47 48 49 5o Sl 52 53 ,. 

### CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

. I hereby certify that the foregoing 

### Complaint has been served vfa facsimile and certified mail

- Return Receipt Requested this· date, to 

### the following:

.

Federal 

### Aviation Administration. (Origi.n.al and one 

### copy) Attn: Hearing Docket**Clerk~** 

### AGC-430 

### Wilbur Wright**BuUdl.J;~,g** 

### "-" Suite 

### 2Wl000 800**Ind~pendence** 

### 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 13th

### d~y.ofAugust, 2012.

COMPLAINT FAA 

### v. Sky

### West Airlines, Inc. FAA Case No. 2011NM060063' Page 7 of7 · 

# 15ana Stephenson

. Office ofRegional Counsel**(ANM~7)** 

### Federal Aviation Administration 

### 1601 Lind Ave. SW Renton, W A '98057 (425) 227-2164

JEFFREY 

### M. HARPER, 

### FAA ATTORNEY 

### TEL: 425.227.1417; FAX: 425.227.1.007