The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced plans to levy a total of USD534,600 in fines against Empire Airlines (EM, Coeur d'Alene Pappy Boyington) and Mesa Airlines (YV, Phoenix Sky Harbor) for alleged violations of federal aircraft airworthiness and federal drug and alcohol testing regulations respectively.

Concerning Empire Airlines, the FAA claims the carrier failed to remove and send for inspection at an authorized aircraft repair station, a Cessna (single turboprop) Grand Caravan 208B propeller that had been struck by lightning.

While Empire did inspect the propeller two days after the strike, it returned the aircraft to service only removing the prop for inspection and repair after 35 revenue flights. As such, the aircraft was not in an airworthy condition during those flights, and thus warrants a USD360,000 for violation of US Federal Air Regulations (FAR).

Empire is scheduled to meet with the FAA later this month to discuss the case.

Concerning Mesa Airlines, the FAA is proposing a civil penalty of USD174,600 after the airline allegedly violated federal drug and alcohol testing regulations.

The FAA alleges that Mesa hired six employees for safety-sensitive positions – five aircraft dispatchers and one quality assurance inspector – but failed to place them in its random drug and alcohol testing pools. All five dispatchers allegedly performed safety-sensitive functions while not in the random pools.

The FAA further alleges that Mesa failed to notify the agency that an employee who held an FAA mechanic certificate refused to submit to a drug test within the two‑day period specified in the regulations. Mesa also did not use a Department of Transportation (DOT) drug testing form when conducting a non‑DOT drug test which was triggered by Mesa’s determination that an accident occurred when in fact none had.

Additionally, the FAA claims Mesa issued a contract for Medical Review Officer (MRO) services, but allegedly failed to ensure the contract included a provision requiring the company to transfer records, including these relating to positive drug test results, to any new MRO Mesa may hire.

Mesa has been given thirty days from the time of receiving the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.