MINNEAPOLIS — The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing an $18,000 civil penalty against United Airlines for two maintenance violations that the FAA said occurred before a United jet skidded off a runway and ended up in 3 feet of snow in February.
The FAA disclosed the fine Thursday after The Associated Press asked about violations cited in FAA documents acquired under the Freedom of Information Act. The FAA said it notified United of the proposed penalty Aug. 15.
A Feb. 25 flight with 125 people aboard slid off the runway after landing in Jackson Hole, Wyo. No one was seriously hurt. The National Transportation Safety Board said in March that the A320 at Jackson Hole and another United A320 that also skidded off a runway had crossed wiring in their main landing gear. It is believed that caused the wheels to lock.
FAA documents reviewed by AP alleged two violations by United:
• For three weeks leading up to the Jackson Hole incident, United had operated that A320 on 66 flight legs when it “was not airworthy,” according to the instructions in an Airbus manual.
• United failed to identify that wiring for anti-skid devices on the landing gear was swapped.
The FAA found that the wires were swapped when new landing gear was installed on that aircraft in Denver on Feb. 3. The connections were tested and the plane returned to flying the next day.
