FAA Reminded American Airlines Aircraft Maintenance Violations

For the second time in a week, the Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it has proposed fining American Airlines for aircraft maintenance violations.

The FAA revealed Thursday that it sent a letter to American last week proposing a $300,000 civil penalty for the maintenance lapses, which could have endangered the aircraft, flight crew and passengers.

American Airlines maintenance workers, the FAA said, failed to properly document a malfunctioning speed indicator on an MD-82 jet in February 2009.

Not knowing about the defective indicator, crews flew the plane five times, including at night and in inclement winter weather. Such flights are allowed under American’s FAA-approved procedures, but only in daylight and clear weather.

American, as it did March 12, when the FAA proposed $787,500 in fines, said it is reviewing the proposed penalties and will meet with the FAA to discuss them.

“Safety is fundamental to the American Airlines culture and to our success,” spokesman Tim Smith said in a statement. “American is the only U.S. airline that continues to handle the majority of its heavy maintenance with in-house, FAA-certificated mechanics that have met and passed all FAA experience requirements, written tests, and practical examinations.”

The FAA’s latest action involves a failed heater that prevents a pitot tube — an externally mounted sensor that measures the plane’s airspeed — from freezing up and providing faulty readings.

Frozen pitot tubes have been cited as a possible cause of the June 1 crash of Air France Flight 447. The Airbus jet was on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when it broke up over the Atlantic Ocean while flying through thunderstorms, killing all 216 passengers and 12 crew members.

The incident that led to the latest FAA action occurred Feb. 2, 2009, when an American flight crew, upon arriving at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, wrote in the aircraft logbook that a pitot tube warning light was not working properly.

Maintenance personnel determined that the light was faulty and, following American’s approved procedures, deferred repairs. But the next day, another maintenance crew determined that the pitot tube heater itself was faulty.

In the meantime, pilots unaware of the faulty heater had flown the aircraft five times.

The FAA’s recent actions come on the heels of a report last month by the Transportation Department’s inspector general that found that American was not following prescribed maintenance procedures and that faulted the FAA for weak oversight.

The FAA has also proposed over $5 million in fines against American Eagle for improper maintenance.