Delta Air Lines was hit with proposed fines of nearly $1 million by the Federal Aviation Administration for failing to fix a chipped nose cone on one plane and a broken cockpit dome light on another.
The FAA alleges Delta didn't fix a chipped nose cone on a Boeing 737 after an FAA inspector saw the damage during a pre-flight inspection in February 2010. Delta's manual requires chip damage to be sealed before a plane flies again, but the 737 flew 20 more times while not in compliance, according to the FAA.
For that, it proposes a $687,500 penalty.
The FAA said it learned during a routine inspection that Delta operated an Airbus A320 on 884 flights from May 25, 2010 to Jan. 3, 2011 with a broken cockpit dome light at the first officer's seat.
The airline should not have deferred repair of the floodlight socket for longer than 10 days, according to the FAA, which proposes a $300,000 penalty for that.
Combined, the proposed fines total $987,500.
In a written statement, Delta said: "At no time was either of these aircraft operating in an unsafe manner. Once Delta verified the concerns of the FAA, Delta initiated immediate and necessary actions to ensure that the aircraft were in full compliance with the regulatory requirements."
The airline has 30 days to respond to the FAA. Delta has requested an informal conference with FAA attorneys and can seek a settlement with the FAA.
