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SEATTLE � The U.S. Department of Transportation�s Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $500,000 civil penalty against SeaPort
Airlines, Inc. of Portland, Ore., for allegedly operating three single-engine
Cessna Caravans when they were not airworthy.
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The FAA alleges SeaPort failed to perform initial
and recurring borescope inspections of the planes� turbine compressor blades.
The inspections are required by an Airworthiness Directive that is intended to
prevent compressor turbine blade failures, which could cause an engine to lose
power.
�Airworthiness Directives are critical safety
tools,� said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. �Safe operations depend on
meticulous compliance with their requirements.�
The FAA alleges the company operated the three
aircraft on a total of 583 flights when the inspections were overdue. The
agency alleges the aircraft therefore were not airworthy.
Additionally, the FAA alleges SeaPort failed to record
the method of compliance with the Airworthiness Directive and when the next
recurring inspections were required for those three aircraft as well as another
Cessna Caravan.
SeaPort has 30 days from receiving the FAA�s
enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
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