Opinion ID: 687353
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: arbitrary or capricious

Text: 9 Reno first contends that the NTSB erred in suspending his commercial pilot license because its interpretation of the relevant language in 49 U.S.C. app. Sec. 1429(a) was arbitrary and capricious. We disagree. 10 Section 1429(a) empowers the Administrator of the FAA to issue orders suspending aviation certificates [i]f, as a result of any reinspection or reexamination ... he determines that safety in air commerce or air transportation and the public interest requires a suspension. Reno argues that the ALJ erred in affirming the FAA's decision to suspend his commercial pilot certificate, because the ALJ acknowledged that safety in aviation was not actually compromised by Reno's failure to secure the endorsements required by 14 C.F.R. Secs. 61.87(d) and 61.93(c)(2). 11 Reno's argument is without merit. The mere fact that a particular action or omission, as here, is held not to have had an adverse effect on the safety of persons or property, does not undermine the Administrator's authority to hold that the same type of action should be sanctioned because it could, if generally permitted, compromise overall aviation safety. Overall safety in air commerce and the public interest require that FAA regulations dealing with record-keeping not be compromised. See Go Leasing, 800 F.2d at 1521 (affirming a 10-month suspension due in part to petitioner's failure to have appropriate certification during the operation of 57 flights). 12 Moreover, the NTSB's affirmation of the Administrator's decision was concordant with NTSB precedent. In Administrator v. Slotten, 2 NTSB 2503, rev. denied, 582 F.2d 1286 (7th Cir.1978), the NTSB stated: 13 Proper endorsement of all prescribed documents is a legitimate regulatory requirement whose purpose is to give notice to all concerned parties, such as FAA inspectors, that the airman is qualified for the operation in which he is engaged. 14 Id. at 2505. 2 Similarly, in Administrator v. Newman, 1 NTSB 2008, 2010 (1972), rev. denied, 494 F.2d 1219 (2d Cir.1974), where the respondent failed to keep appropriate records regarding altimeter instrument tests and inspections in violation of 14 C.F.R. Sec. 91.170, he argued that record-keeping was not as important as actual maintenance itself. There the NTSB held that [a] policy of leniency toward record keeping [violations] inevitably encourages carelessness ... to the derogation of safety in air transportation. Id. at 2010. 15 Thus, the NTSB has consistently interpreted the endorsement provisions required by FAA regulations as relating to aviation safety and the public interest. It is well established that statutory interpretation by an agency charged with administering the governing statute is entitled to considerable deference and weight. See Gladstone Realtors v. Village of Bellwood, 441 U.S. 91, 107, 99 S.Ct. 1601, 1612, 60 L.Ed.2d 66 (1979); See also United Housing Foundation, Inc. v. Forman, 421 U.S. 837, 95 S.Ct. 2051, 44 L.Ed.2d 621 (1975); Good Samaritan Hospital, Corvallis v. Mathews, 609 F.2d 949, 954 (9th Cir.1979). In this case, we find that the NTSB's interpretation of safety in air commerce or air transportation and the public interest, as contained in 49 U.S.C. app. Sec. 1429(a), is perfectly reasonable. Thus, we hold that the suspension of Reno's licence was not arbitrary or capricious.