Allegiant Air flies unairworthy aircraft over 200 times
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Allegiant Air flies unairworthy aircraft over 200 times
An Allegiant MD83 made over 200 flights in an unairworthy condition due to maintenance errors. NTSB have recommended that FAA throw book at Allegiant.
Incident: Allegiant MD83 at Las Vegas on Aug 17th 2015, rejected takeoff due to premature rotation
Incident: Allegiant MD83 at Las Vegas on Aug 17th 2015, rejected takeoff due to premature rotation
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I wonder how many stupid passengers got angry and complained about the delay. Quite a few, I bet.
I doubt the Captain was able to offer a cogent explanation on the PA.And nor would he. He'd probably get fired for announcing that the airliner was not safe to fly. And the lawyers would have a field day.
Another one of many required nails in LoCo's coffin. It will be a while, and a couple of accidents will happen before questions are asked.
Anyway, well done the pilot flying. And no criticism to ATC at Vegas. Good controllers there.
I doubt the Captain was able to offer a cogent explanation on the PA.And nor would he. He'd probably get fired for announcing that the airliner was not safe to fly. And the lawyers would have a field day.
Another one of many required nails in LoCo's coffin. It will be a while, and a couple of accidents will happen before questions are asked.
Anyway, well done the pilot flying. And no criticism to ATC at Vegas. Good controllers there.
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Here's another MD-83 uncommanded rotation resulting in a high speed reject a few weeks ago:
http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/5...rrun-kyip.html
http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/5...rrun-kyip.html
The text on avherald, allegedly from the NTSB investiagator is - if proven to be true - damning to the point it's worth considering withdrawing AAR's license to service commercial airliners. It's the seemingly total and utter lack of management oversight which bothers me the most. This paints a picture of an organisation devoid of a properly functioning quality system, the alpha and omega of aircraft maintenance. Merely slapping a dollar fine om them isn't enough in my book, unless it's of a size to bankrupt the enterprise. Because, frankly, that's what they deserve.
Last, but not least, let us not forget that it's perfectly possible for an airline to outsource as good as any and all service, but they can never outsource responsibility if it's a function regulated by the aviation authorities. As a practical matter, the airline is responsible for the actions carried out by the sub-contractor, and is required to keep continuous oversigt, pointing out non-compliances as and when they are identified, ensuring they are resolved to the satisfaction of not only them, but also the authorities.
Thus, Allegiant should very much be on the chopping board here as well. I don't know what the legal practice is, but wouldn't be surprised the contractor will not be suffering nearly the same penalties as the sub-contractor. In my book they should be treated, and sanctioned, the same.
Last, but not least, let us not forget that it's perfectly possible for an airline to outsource as good as any and all service, but they can never outsource responsibility if it's a function regulated by the aviation authorities. As a practical matter, the airline is responsible for the actions carried out by the sub-contractor, and is required to keep continuous oversigt, pointing out non-compliances as and when they are identified, ensuring they are resolved to the satisfaction of not only them, but also the authorities.
Thus, Allegiant should very much be on the chopping board here as well. I don't know what the legal practice is, but wouldn't be surprised the contractor will not be suffering nearly the same penalties as the sub-contractor. In my book they should be treated, and sanctioned, the same.
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scotneil
Allegiant seem to be another "rogue" airline in the mould of Valuejet: surely now is the time for the FAA to pull the plug and withdraw their AOL before another accident similar to 11/05/96 Everglades crash recurs?
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NTSB have recommended that FAA throw book at Allegiant.
The Disturbing Truth About How Airplanes Are Maintained Today | Vanity Fair
Airlines outsource repairs, but cost-cutting leads to weaker oversight - Flying Cheaper | Investigative Reporting Workshop
Airlines outsource repairs, but cost-cutting leads to weaker oversight - Flying Cheaper | Investigative Reporting Workshop
So it is a bit ironic AAR prides itself as being "American", employing only "American" workers and performing MRO exclusively at US facilities.
Thus, Allegiant should very much be on the chopping board here as well. I don't know what the legal practice is, but wouldn't be surprised the contractor will not be suffering nearly the same penalties as the sub-contractor. In my book they should be treated, and sanctioned, the same.
Hence the FAA inspector accepted Allegiant's self-disclosure (under the Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program -- VDRP) and did not recommend administrative action against Allegiant.
AAR is another story. But at the end, it looks like the sanction imposed on AAR was a Letter of Correction, which is an administrative sanction but only a step above a warning letter.
@RoyHudd (post #3)
Stupid passengers? I suppose you would know straight away what happened
How would the Captain know what to say by why of explanation? He had an uncommanded rotation but I'd be amazed if he would know why. what would your announcement be?
Stupid passengers? I suppose you would know straight away what happened
How would the Captain know what to say by why of explanation? He had an uncommanded rotation but I'd be amazed if he would know why. what would your announcement be?
Some things quite odd about this. I'm not an avid reader of AvH but previously found it to be fairly factual even though not part of anything official, the speculation is normally limited to the comments section. In this case though, the word "thundered" appears 3 times and the supposed comments from the Investigator are more emotional than I've ever seen from a regulator or investigative body. Added to the fact "the FAA" accidentally sent this to the Tampa rag, there are several layers of non-factual stuff you don't normally associate with a serious incident investigation. It almost borders on someone with a grudge deliberately leaking information tailored to their agenda. The only facts I can see are the RTO was due to elevator malfunction and the root cause of that was failing to fit a cotter pin in the thread behind the nut (although the "failing to fit" is speculative as mostly likely in the absence of one being found in the same place as the nut). The rest is all over the place and not what I've seen in Maintenance Error investigation.
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When do they plan on getting rid of the MD-80's completely? Or are they flying them into the ground (figuratively hopefully)?
Paxing All Over The World
The AVH say the report they are quoting is 'unredacted' and hence strong language may be used. I agree that the 'thundered' is questionable. However, if it truly concludes:
My emphasis.
That would be a punishment to set the aviation world into panic. Some will say, not before time.
The FAA investigator thus made following recommendation: "I recommend maximum sanction be imposed for each FAR violation identified, in addition I recommend that a sanction be added for each of the 216 flights that were flown in violation as AAR Aircraft Services, Inc , was causal to the flights flown in an unairworthy condition."
That would be a punishment to set the aviation world into panic. Some will say, not before time.
Not speculative because the report explains that the little access compartment is and was sealed, and the washer and nut were found in it, but nothing else. Very logical deduction: no cotter pin. Washer and nut were not broken, and so had spun off, something the pin would have prevented.
The real issue here is that AAR's work plan had FIVE different inspections that if done properly, any one would have detected this failure. AAR also had no paperwork that the inspections were performed, and yet released the aircraft without the paperwork being in order.
The inspector's ire was directed like a bullet at AAR. He was also annoyed because they had had failures to inspect before, and the "curative" action accepted by the FAA was insufficient.
Thanks for pointing out the detail, I hadn't realised there was a hyperlink in the AvH synopsis to the actual letter. Sobering reading if somewhat emotional. Not something that would normally end up in the public domain. I reserve judgement on whether that was accidental or deliberate. He does seem to have strong opinions about 3rd party MRO's, some of which supports the causal factors and some not. Talk of median pay is somewhat distracting particularly if they're seeking "above median" opportunities where I'd expecting them to be demonstrating their skills and diligence. Oversight and good old fastidiousness is what I see lacking.
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Editorial: FAA reveals the truth by mistake | Tampa Bay Times
Tampa Bay Times, Florida's largest newspaper, is read widely and Allegiant is the major player at the "little " airport across the bay from me in St. Petersburg. So this will be raising eyebrows...
Tampa Bay Times, Florida's largest newspaper, is read widely and Allegiant is the major player at the "little " airport across the bay from me in St. Petersburg. So this will be raising eyebrows...