http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?subject=34 The 10 most recent releases on the U.S. DoT OIG web site related to Aviation Safety en-US webmaster@oig.dot.gov (OIG Webmaster) http://www.oig.dot.gov/images/dot.gif http://www.oig.dot.gov/rss.jsp?subject=34 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2543 On February 12, 2009, Continental Flight 3407 crashed on approach to Buffalo Airport killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground. A subsequent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation revealed that several law firms contacted the victims families in relation to crash litigation and possible lawsuits in violation of NTSB regulations. Title 49 United States Code (USC) section 1136(g)(2) prohibits solicitations by attorneys within 45 days after an air carrier accident. The United States Attorneys Office, Rochester, New York, and NTSB asked the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General to assist with a civil prosecution of the law firms involved.On September 17, 2009, a civil complaint was filed in U.S. District Court, Rochester, New York, against Michigan attorney Carl Collins, III, alleging that he engaged in conduct which violated Title 49 USC section 1136(g)(2). Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2543 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2544 On September 17, 2009, Franciscus Johannes de Jong, aka Frank de Jong, the former vice president of cargo sales in Europe for Martinair Holland N.V., was sentenced in United States District Court Washington, D.C. to eight months in prison for his involvement in a price fixing scheme of air cargo shipments in violation of the Sherman Act. He was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. According to Mr. de Jongs plea agreement filed in April 2009, he and his coconspirators engaged in a conspiracy to fix the cargo rates charged to customers for international air shipments to and from the United States. From April 2002 and continuing until February 14, 2006, Mr. de Jong and his coconspirators carried out the price fixing conspiracy by participating in meetings, conversations and communications to discuss the cargo rates to be charged on certain routes to and from the United States. This Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General investigation is being coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division and is being conducted jointly with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2544 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2536 On September 8, 2009, Douglas Bradley, former pilot and expresident of the New York Finger Lakes Soaring Club, pled guilty in U.S. District Court, Rochester, New York, to a felony charge related to his use and possession of a forged FAA Standard Airworthiness Certificate (SAC) for a glider aircraft. In the summer of 2008, Mr. Bradley installed a fraudulent SAC on a newlyacquired glider aircraft that had not been inspected and certified as airworthy by the FAA. The investigation, which was initiated as the result of an FAA referral, revealed that the glider was flown by multiple club members, including Mr. Bradley, at least fortyone times during the 2008 Labor Day weekend. Mr. Bradley was arrested on April 28, 2009. The investigation was conducted by DOT/OIG with assistance from FAA. Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2536 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2502 On July 7, Joseph Singh, the Director of Charters of a luxury charter jet company that operated a flight from Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, which crashed on takeoff in 2005 pled guilty in U.S. District Court, Newark, New Jersey, to conspiracy to defraud charter customers and brokers and to impede and obstruct the Federal Aviation Administration. During the plea hearing, Mr. Singh admitted that as the “Director of Charters” for Platinum Jet Management he dispatched unqualified or unrested pilots, including the pilot of the jet that crashed at Teterboro on Feb. 2, 2005, to fly charter customers for the company which was based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He further admitted that that from November 2003 until shortly after the Teterboro crash he booked charter flights for Platinum Jet Management using charter brokers and dispatched Platinum Jet pilots to fly those flights. According to Mr. Singh, he dispatched John Kimberling, who was not commercially qualified, to fly the illfated flight from Teterboro to Chicago. The plane crashed into a warehouse after failing to lift off. Mr. Singh admitted that he knew Mr. Kimberling was not qualified to fly that flight, and he further admitted to dispatching Mr. Kimberling on other flights. Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2502 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2497 On June 22, Andre Budhan of Fort Lauderdale, FL pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court, Newark, NJ to conspiracy to defraud charter customers and brokers and to impeding and obstructing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Mr. Budhan is a cofounder and manager of Platinum Jet Management (PJM), a luxury charter jet company. In 2005, one of PJMs flights crashed on takeoff from Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ. During entry of his plea, Mr. Budhan admitted, in part, that he and his conspirators booked and flew approximately 100 illegal flights valued at more than $1 million during a period when PJM did not have an FAA issued Part 135 Certificate, which would have permitted them to fly ondemand commercial flights. Also charged in the case are Michael F. Brassington, Paul Brassington, Joseph K. Singh, Brian L. Mckenzie, and Francis A. Vieira, all of whom were indicted in U.S. District Court, Newark, New Jersey, on charges of conspiracy, false statements, and destruction of an aircraft. Sentencing for Mr. Budhan is scheduled for October 5, 2009. Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2497 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2421 On February 4, Platinum Jet Management, LLC, (PJM), cofounders Michael Brassington and, Paul Brassington, company manager, Andre Budhan, and maintenance director, Brian McKenzie were arrested by Special Agents of the DOT/OIG and Federal Bureau of Investigation in part for their alleged involvement in events related to the 2005 plane crash at the Teterboro New Jersey Airport. A National Transportation Safety Board investigation concluded that the aircrafts center of gravity was incorrect and contributed to the crash. The arrest stemmed from a January 23, 2009 indictment which charged the individuals, along with two others, Joseph Singh, and Francis Vieira with conspiracy, making false statements and destruction of an aircraft. According to the indictment the individuals conspired to violate regulatory requirements allowing the company to operate as an air charter operation without holding the required Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certificate pursuant to Federal Aviation Regulations Part 135 which provides operating and safety requirements for ondemand commercial air operations. The indictment also alleges that Michael Brassington, Francis Vieira and others falsified the weight and balance configurations for several PJM aircrafts in an effort to load extra fuel onto the aircraft. According to the indictment, PJM flew more than 25 commercial charter flights utilizing two separate aircrafts with centers of gravity that exceeded the aircrafts forward limits, and lied about it in FAA required documents, and operated in excess of 85 commercial flights without Part 135 certification. This investigation was conducted by DOT/OIG with the assistance of the FAAs Eastern Regions Flight Standards Division. Note: As in any criminal case, a person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2421 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2414 On January 8, James P. Gilliam pled guilty in U.S. District Court, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to one count of making a false statement on his” Application for Medical Certificate.” Mr. Gilliam failed to list a disqualifying medication on his application. Sentencing is expected to occur within 90 days. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2414 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2403 On December 3, 2008, Robert A. Schlotzhauer, owner of Falcon Helicopters, Inc. (FALCON) was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Kansas City, MO, to 12 months home confinement, 24 months probation, and ordered to pay a fine of $550,000 and restitutions of $63,854. He is expected to surrender his Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Powerplant License and Inspection Authorization Certification the end of the month. In March 2008, Mr. Schlotzhauer pled guilty to Federal charges of wire fraud and money laundering. In March 2006, Mr. Schlotzhauer, his company FALCON, and the city of Lees Summit, MO, were indicted on charges involving a fraudulent helicopter repair and sales scheme, including, falsification of airworthiness records and use of unapproved repair methods and aviation parts. Mr. Schlotzhauer purchased helicopters that were substantially damaged in accidents and returned two of them to service with fraudulent paperwork, then offered these helicopters for sale in interstate commerce. He was also charged with bank fraud and money laundering after receiving his customers payments and then tried to hide the money by transferring it from one account to another. Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2403 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2366 On October 3, 2008, Jose Guasch was arrested after being indicted and charged in U.S. District Court, Miami, Florida, for making a false statement on his “Application for Medical Certificate.” Mr. Guasch represented on his “Application for Medical Certificate” that he had no felonies when he had three prior felony convictions. In 2002, as a result of a DOT investigation, Mr. Guasch was convicted for possession of false licenses, transporting a stolen aircraft, and false statements. As a result of a DOT investigation, he received a combined sentence of five years. In September 2007, Mr. Guasch was released from prison and placed on probation. This investigation is being conducted jointly with the FAA/Aviation Security and the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. As in any criminal case, a person is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct. Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2366 http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2360 On September 4, 2008, Daniel Snyder, the owner and operator of Smooth Landings Incorporated, was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to 51 months incarceration, 36 months supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution after pleading guilty on April 23, 2008 to fraud involving aircraft parts and interstate transportation of stolen property. Mr. Snyder admitted that between November 2002 and January 2008, he falsified numerous entries in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulated aircraft logbooks related to required inspection and repairs; forged the names of licensed mechanics; backdated entries; and falsified entries to conceal thefts and unauthorized replacement of parts on aircraft he repaired. He also stole and transported a Piper PA32 aircraft from a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida airport to his home base in Elysburg, Pennsylvania and, then illicitly sold the aircraft for $60,000. The FAA is fully engaged in the investigation, and has established a process to notify and advise the victims of any safety hazards related to Mr. Snyders criminal conduct. This case was investigated jointly by the OIG and the FAA. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.oig.dot.gov/item.jsp?id=2360