11/05/201 0 10;1 2 FAX 202493514 2 FA A + QM S 0001/00 7

Thoma s Newto n Boilin g Managin g Attorney - Regulator yAffair s 713/324-560 6 thomas.bolling@coair.co m 

## nrPARTMEN TO F i:W;SPORT/Vr!O N •"•- ' '"'^1:R/\T1 ^ October ] 8 , 2 0 r b 

### VI AFEDERA LEXPRES S - 794 0 198 X 464 6 Federal Aviatio nAdministratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington , DC 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , A(JC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Building , Suite 2W100 0 

# Continenta l

Airline s

Lega l Departmen t HOSL G 1600 Smit h Street Housto n T

X 77002 Te l 71 3 32 4 513 1 Fa x71 3 324 516 0 coniinentisl.con n



### Re : Continental Airlines , Inc . - Reques t lo r Heann g ' Final Notic e of

Propose dCivi l Penalty - FA A Cas e No . 2009SW27006 0 Dea r Sir o r Madam ; B y letter date dOctober

5 , 2010 , th e Federal Aviatio nAdministratio n(FAA ) issue da Final Notic e o f

Propose dCivi l Penalt

y inth e above-reference dcase . Pursuant l o 4 9 U.S.C . § 46301 , a s amended , an dth e FA ARule s of

Practic e i nFA

A Civi l Penalty Action s a s ^t t fort hin 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.16 , Continental Airlines , Inc . (Continental ) hereb y reque.st 5 ahearin g i nthe above-reference dcase . Inaddition . Continental ai.so request s all futur e communication s o nthi s cas e b e directe dto m

y attentio na

t the addres s provide dbelow . Thoma. s Newto nBoilin g Managin g Attorney , Regulator y Affair. s Continental Aidines , Inc . 1600 Smit hStreet , 15t

hFloo r HQSLG Houston , TX 7700 2 Tel : (713 ) 324-560 6 Fax:(713)324-516 1 Email : thomas.bolIinti:@c(^air.com Than k you . Pleas e le

t m c kno w i f

you nee dadditiona

l 4nfor-Hi^o n Sincerely , /

liofna s 

### Thofnas Newto nBoilin g Managin g Attorney , Regulatory Al11/05/201 0 10:1 2 FA X 202493514 2 FA A ^ DM S 0 002/00 7 

### October 18 , 201 0 Pag e 2 cc : TimDuff

, E.sq. Attorney , Safet

y Enforcement

Branch Federal Aviatio nAdministratio n Offic e o f Regional Counsel 260 1 Mcacha

mBoulevard For t Worth , TX 7613 7 (VI AFEDERA LEXPRESS ) 

# Continenta l Airline s

ASTA R ALLIANC rMFMBE R ''"' •11/05/201 0 10:1 2 FA X 202493514 2 FA A • » DM S @l003/00 7 

# f d U.S . Oeparimen i o f[ransportatio n Federa l Aviatio n Administrafio n Southwes t Regio n Arkansas . Louisiana , Ne wMexico , Oklahom a Te)<a s Federa l Aviatio n Adrniiiialralioi l Southwes t Regio n Offic e o fRegiona l Counsel , ASW- 7 260 1 Meacha m Blv d Fo n Worth . TX 7613 7 

## OCT

## 2 1 201 0 CERTIFIE D MAI L - RETUR N RECEIP TREQUESTE D Hearin g Docke t Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Wilbu rWrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W100 0 Washington . D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t Clerl< , AGC-43 0 I n th e Matte rof : Continenta l Airline s In c Docke t No . C P Cas e No , 2009SW27006 0 Dea rSi ro rMadam : nC . ;

Enclose d ar e th e origina l an d on e cop yo fth e complain t i n th e above-reference d proceeding . Th e Complainan t request s tha t th e hearin g i n thi s matte rb e liel d i n th e Houston , Te.xa s area , an d expect s tha t th e hearin g wil l las t on e day . Pleas e serv e m e wit h al l document s i n thi s matter . Sincerely , LYNETT E WOR D Regiona l Counse l By : Ti m Duf f Attorne y - % ^ Enclosed ; Complain tn/05/201 0 10:1 2 FA X 202493514 2 FA A DM S 121004/00 7

U.S . DEPARTMEN TO F TRANSPORTATIO N FEDERA L AVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N I n th e Matte rof : CONTINENTA L AIRLINE S IN C FA ACas e No . 2009SW27006 0 FA ADocke t C P Judg e Not Assigne d COMPLAIN T Th e Complainan t file s it s complaint , unde rRul e 20 8 o fth e Rule s o fPractic e i n FA ACivi l Penalt yActions , 1 4 CF R §13.208 , an d state s th e following : I . Responden t Continenta l Airline s Inc. . (hereinafte r"CAL" ) wa s advise d thi'oug h a Notic e o f Propose d Civi l Penalt ytha t th e FA Apropose d t o asses s a civi l penalt yi n th e amoun t o f$156,250 . O n Octobe r18 , 2010 , Responden t CA L submitte d a writte n reques t fo ra hearing . I I 1 . Continenta l Aidine s Inc . (CAL ) hold s Ai rCarrie rOperatin g Certificat e CALA014 Aauthorizin g i t t o engag e i n schedule d ai rtransportatio n unde rPar t 12 1 o f th e Federa l Aviatio n Regulations . 2 . O n o rabou t Decembe r9 , 2008 , i n Austin , Texas , a CA L employe e documente d th e followin g proble m wit h CA L Civi l Aircraf t N19621 . a Boein g 737 , i n th e aircraf t maintenanc e lo g a t pag e 8146208 : "Aut o pressurlzatio n faile d a t F L 360 . Regaine d contro l o fcabi n i n ALT N mod e a t F L 210. " 3 . CA L improperl ydeferre d maintenanc e o n th e discrepanc ycitin g Boein g 73 7 Minimu m Equipmen t Lis t (MEL ) 21-14-3 Afo rauthorit yan d documente d th e followin g correctiv e actio n o n th e maintenanc e log : "Placar d automati cmod e inop. " 4 . CA L continue d t o operat e th e aircraf t o n tw o flight s an d agai n addresse d th e discrepanc yDecembe r10 , 200 8 a t Dallas/For t Wort h Airpor t (DFW) . 5 . CA L Wor k

Car d D585264 1 indicate s th e followin g maintenanc e actio n wa s take n i n DFW : "T/ S pe rM/ M 21-31-00 . Sy s test s normal . Bit e o fbot h Pres s ctlr's , sy s ok . FL T faul t show s l o flow/hig h leak , cod e 30 . Need s lea k healt h ck , re fM/ M 21-30-00 . Ex t 054566 . N o faul t I n pres s ct l sys . Tabl e "B " o f ref. "11/05/201 0 10:1 3 FA X 202433514 2 FA A+ DM S §1005/00 7



### 6 . Th e correctiv e actio n indicate d that CA L troubl e shot th e proble m b yperformin g a buil t i n tes t equipmen t (Bite ) tes t o f bot h pressure controllers . Tha t tes t indicate d that th e pressure controllers wer e operatin g normall ybu t foun d a n infligh t faul t wit h a l o flow/hig h leak . Th e correctiv e actio n als o state d that th e syste m neede d a healt h check . 7 . CA L maintenanc e improperl yassigne d th e discrepanc ya n Extensio n Contro l Numbe r-05456 6 (Ex

t C H # 054566 ) i n orde rt o continu e t o operat e Civi l Aircraft N1962 1 unde rth e origina l ME L deferral . 8 . CA L operate d Civi l Aircraft N1962 1 o n thre e flights unde rth e ME L extension . 9 . Th e origina l ME L deferral , pursuan t t o ME L 21-14-3A , addresse d potentia l problem s wit h th e automati cmode s of aircraft' s digita l contro l system . 10 . Th e maintenanc e performe d at DF W reveale d that N19621' s proble m wa s not i n th e pressur e controllers bu t tha t ther e wa s a pressurlzatio n lea k i n th e fuselag e and/o r insufficien t ai rflo wt o pressuriz e th e fuselage . 11 . CAL' s operation s specification s require tha t CA L aircraft mus t b e maintaine d accordin g t o CAL' s Continuin g Airworthines s Maintenanc e Progra m (CAMP) , 12 . Us e o fth e ME L a s describe d herei n i s a par t o f CAL' s Genera l Maintenanc e Manua l an d CAMP . 13 . CAL' s failur e t o properl yidentif yth e caus e ofth e proble m describe d i n paragrap h 2 above , an d it s subsequen t ME L deferra l referencin g a n aircraft syste m tha t di d not caus e th e proble m were contrar yt o th e provision s ofCAL' s maintenanc e progra m an d operation s specifications , 14 . CAL' s operatio n o fCivi l Aircraft N1962 1 unde ra n incorrect ME L deferra l procedure wa s contrar

yt o th e provision s o f CAL' s maintenanc e progra m an d operation s specifications . 15 . Continue d operatio n o f Civi l Aircraft Ml962 1 unde rth e origina l ME L deferra l fo r thre e additiona l flight s afte ra determinatio n that th e origina l deferra l di d not addres s th e proble m wit h th e aircraft wa s contrar yt o th e provision s of CAL' s maintenanc e progra m an d operation s specifications . 16 . Afte rCA L wa s notifie d o f th e proble m b ya n FA Ainspector , CA L inspecte d th e aircraft an d foun d tha t a misplace d ty-wra p prevente d th e cabi n outflo wvalv e fro m operatin g properl yan d tha t a n af t carg o drai n outflo wvalv e wa s stuc k open . CA L correcte d th e problem s b yremovin g an d replacin g th e drai n valv e an d byremovin g th e ty wrap . 17 . CA L operate d Civi l Aircraft N1962 1 o n 5 flight s whil e i n wa s i n a n unairworth y conditio n a s a resul t o fit s us e ofth e incorrec t ME L maintenanc e deferra l procedure .S n/05/201 0 10:1 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A+ QM S @l00G/00 7 !-1

B yreaso n o fth e foregoing , CA L violate d th e followin g section s o fth e Federa l Aviatio n

Regulations : a . Sectio n 121.369(b ) i n tha t whil e performing , maintenance , preventiv e maintenanc e o ralteration s i t faile d t o follo wth e maintenanc e progra m se t ou t i n it s manual ; b . Sectio n 119.5(1 ) i n tha t i t operate d a n aircraf t unde rPar t 12 1 o fth e Federa l Aviatio n Regulation s i n violatio n o fa n ai rcarrie roperatin g certificate , operatin g certificate , o rappropriat e operation s specification s issue d unde rthi s Par t 11 9 o f th e Federa l Aviatio n Regulations ; an d c . Sectio n 121.153(a)(2 ) i n tha t i t a s a certificat e holde roperate d a n aircraf t whe n i t wa s no t i n a n airworth ycondition , III . 1 , Unde r4 9 U.S,C . §46301 , responden t i s subject t o a civi l penalt yfo reac h o f th e violation s o fth e regulation s cited . Th e maximu m penaltyfo reac h violatio n o f eac h o f th e regulation s i s $25,000.00 . 2 . Unde rth e fact s an d circumstance s o fthi s case , a civi l penalt yo f$156,25 0 i s appropriate . Complainan t respectfull yrequest s tha t th e administrativ e la wjudg e ente ra n orde rtha t responden t b e assesse d a civi l penalt yi n th e amoun t o f$156,250 . 

### Submitte dthi s 2.1^ ^ da y o f C>c r • Z^ i 0 LYNETT E WOR D Regiona l Counse l Southwes t Regio n 

### By : v^<'* » AJM4 ^ Ti m Duff Attorne y Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 817-222-509 9 817-222-509 211/05/201 0 10:1 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A^ DM S 0007/00 7

CERTIFICAT E O F SERVIC E I hereb ycertif ytha t th e foregoin g Complain t ha s bee n maile d thi s dat e b y Certifie d Mail , Retur n Receip t Requested , to : Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington . D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu rWrigh t Buildin g - Roo m 2W100 0 Presiden t Continenta l Airline s Inc . HQSE O P.O . Bo x460 7 Houston , Texa s 77210-460 7 Thoma s Boilin g Lega l Departmen t HQSL G 160 0 Smit h Stree t Houston , Texa s 7700 2

Ailee n C^fsTllas Ayala , Progra m Analys t Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n Southwes t Regio n Offic e o f Regiona l Counse l 260 1 Meacha m Blv d For t Worth , T X 7613 7 

## Date:_3Cf_LL20i a