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U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N

OFFIC E O F HEARING S WASHrNGTON , D C I N TH E MATTE RO F SKYWES T AIRLINE S FA A DOCKE T No . [T O B E ASSIGNED ] (Civi l Penalt

y Action ) FDM S No . FAA-20II-048 5 I N TH E MATTERO F SKYWES T AIRLINE S FA A DOCKE T No . [T O B E ASSIGNED ] (Civi l Penall y Action )

• • FDM S No . FAA-2011-048 6 ORDE RGRANTIN G I N PAR T COMPLAlNANT^ S IVIOTIO N F O RDECISIO N I N FDM S NO . FAA-2011-0486 . LIMITIN G PROCEEDIN G T O ISSU E O F SANCTIO N Complainan t

Federal Aviatio n Administratio n ("Complainant " o r '"th e agency" ) filedaMotio n fo

r Decisio n or , i

n th e Alternative , Motio n fo r Summar y Judgmen t ("Motion" ) i

n on e o f thes e consolidate dmatters , FDM S No . FAA-201 1 -048 6 ("0486") . Th e Motion , filedunde r

Rul e 218(f)(5 ) o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e i n FA A Civi l Penalt

y Actions , 1 4 C.F.R . §13.218(0(5) , argue s that Responden t

SkyWes t Airlines , hic . ("Respondent " o r

"SkyWest" ) ha s admitte dall th e relevan t fact s underlyin g th e agency' sasserte dviolation s o f th e Federa

l Aviatio n Regulation s ("FARs") ; therefore , th e agenc y states , th e pleadings , additiona l submissions , an dRespondent' s admission s establis h tha t n o genuin e issu e o f

materia ! fac

t exist s an dtha

t Complainan t

i s entitle dt

o judgmen t

a s a matte r o f law . Th e Motio n further assert s that

th e agency' s propose dcivi l penalty o f $33,00 0 i s supporte db

y relevan t criteri aan dshoul dbe adopted . Th e Complain t

i n 048 6 allege s tha

t o n Novembe r

17 , 2010 , SkyWest , aPar t 12 1 ai r canier , loade dthre e "heavy " bag s - define di n th e carrier' s Weigh t

& Balanc e Operation s Manua

l (" W & B Manual" ) a s any ba g weighin g mor e tha n 5 0 but les s tha n 10 0 pound s - ont o aBombardie r CL-600-2C1 0 civi l aircraf t whic h wa s to operat e a s Fligh t 657 3 fro mDenver International Airport , Denver , CO , to Yamp aValle y Aiiport , Hayden , CO . However , th e Complain t asserts , SkyWes t

loadin g agent s responsibl e under th e W & B Manua

l fo r markin g th e numbe r

o f heav y bag s loade di

n th e "Heav y Checked " bloc k

o n th e Carg o LoadReport

("CLR" ) faile dto accoun t fo r tw o o f th e thre e heav y bags . Fligh

t 657 3 proceede dto it s destination . Upon landing , th e Complain t continues , a

n agenc y Aviatio n Safet

y Inspecto r

conducte da

n inspectio n an dnote dth e allege dirregularity . Th e Complain t charge s that , i

n vie w o f th e aforementione d assertions , SkyWes t

Flight 657 3 violate dth e followin g five Federal Aviatio n Regulation s ("FARs") : FA

R§§ l 19.5(g ) (operatin g a s adirec t ai r carrie r i n violatio n o f

operation s specifications) ; 119.5(1 ) (operatin g unde r Par t 12 1 i n violatio n o f

operation s specifications) ; 121.693(a ) (operatin g afligh t withou t aloa dmanifes t

tha t accuratel y refiecte dth e weigh t

o f th e carg o andbaggage) ; 121.693(c ) (operatin g aflight whe n th e tota l weight ha dno t bee n compute dunde r

approve dprocedures) ; an d121.693(d ) . (operatin g aflight

when th e aircraf

t ha dno t been loade daccordin g to a n approve d schedule) , h

i support o f it s Motion , Complainan t

argue s tha

t Respondent' s Amende d Answe r admitte dth e salien t

fact s underlyin g eac h charge . Respondent' s several affirmativ e defenses , th e Motio n state s further , are irrelevan t to it s allegations . Responden t

answere di

n oppositio n to th e Motion . I t argues , i n conformanc e wit

h it s affirmativ e defenses , tha t th e weight

differential s cite dwer

e "nomina l a

t best " an dha

d n o effec t o n performanc e o r

overal l safety . SkyWes t

furthe r assert s tha

t i t ha s take n several coiTCctiv

e step s to ensure futur

e compliance . I

t insist s tha

t th e acknowledge d baggag e miscoun t

wa s no t critica l to flight

safety . Finally , SkyWes t ai'gue s tha

t th e agency' s propose dpenalt

y amoun t i s excessiv e an dunwarranted . I conclud e tha

t Complainan t

i s entitle dto summar>'judgmen t o n th e questio n o f liability . I

t ha s met it s burde n under

Rul e 218(0(5 ) o f

showin g tha

t n o genuin e issu e o f material fac

t exist s concernin g th e charge s an dtha t i t i s entitle dt

o adecisio n a s amatte r o f law . Complainant' s assertion s an dsupportin g document s i t ha s attache dt o th e Motion , togethe r

wit h Respondent' s Amende dAnswe r to th e Complaint , establish , I conclude , tha

t Responden t

violate dFA

R§§119.5(g ) and(1) . and§§121.693(a) , (c) , and (d ) a s charged . Respondent' s Amende dAnswe r andit s answer

i n oppositio n l o th e Motio n simpl y fai

l to mee t th e substanc e o f

any o f th e charges .Th e fact s thu s determined , however , d o no t establis h th e appropriat e sanction . Th e relevan t

evidenc e an dargumen t

o n th e issu e o f

civi l penalt

y ar e genuinel y contested . Th e issu e o f

penalt y will b e hear

da s par t o f th e consolidate dhearing . WHEREFORE , i

t i s ORDERE D a s follows ; 1 . Complainant' s Mofion fo r Decisio n i s GRANTE D I N PART ; 2 . 3 . Responden t

i s foun di n violatio n o f

1 4 C.F.R . §§119.5(g) , 119.5(1) , 121.693(a) , 121.693(c) , an d121.693(d ) a s state di n thi s Order ; an d Th e hearin g i

n DM S No . FAA-2011-048 6 will b e limite dto th e issu e o f sanction .

/ y

^ .. . l^ichar

dC Goodwi n U.S . Administrativ e La

w Judg e Attachmen t

- Servic e ListFDM S Nos . FAA-201 1 -0485 ^ & FAA-2011-048 6 (Civi l Penalt y Action ) SERVIC E LIS T ORIGINA L i

& ON E COP Y Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Building—Suit e 2W1000 '

ON E COP Y Tod dC . Emerson , Respondent' s Represenradv e Directo r ~ Governmen t

an dLega l Affair s SkyWes t Airline s 44 4 Sout h Rive r

Roa d St . George , U T 8479 0 TEL : 435-634-353 0 FAX : 435-634-350 5 Michae l L . Dworkin , Respondent' s Counse l 465.Californi aStreet , Suit e 21 0 Sa n Francisco , C A 9410 4 TEL : 415-421-0250 0 FAX : 415-421-256 0 Jeffre y M Harper , Complainant' s Counse l Attorney , Offic e o f

th e Regiona l Counse l Northwes t

Mountai n Region , ANM- 7 Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 160 1 Lin dAvenue , S.W . Renton,W A 9805 7 TEL : 425-227-216 1 FAX : 425-227-100 7 Th e Honorabl e Richar dC . Goodwin , Adminisirafiv e La w Judg e Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E .

' Service wa

s b y U.S . Mail . Fo

r se^'ic e i n perso n o r b y expeditedcourier , use tli

e followin g address : Federa

l Aviatio n Adininislralion , 60

0 Independenc e Avcnne . S.W. , Wilbu r Wrigli l Building—Siiil

c 2W1000 , Wasliington , D C 20591 ; Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk . AGC-430 .