FAA hits American Airlines with $24.2 million civil penalty

The Federal Aviation Administration on Aug. 26 proposed a civil penalty of $24.2 million against American Airlines for alleged failure to correctly follow a 2006 airworthiness directive involving aircraft maintenance.

According to an FAA press release, operators were required to inspect wire bundles located in the wheel wells of the airline's McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft, among other corrective actions required after a March 2008 inspection. The airworthiness directive was aimed at preventing shorting of wires or arcing, which could result in loss of power or fire in a wheel well of the aircraft. Fort Worth, TX-based American Airlines was given 30 days from the receipt of FAA's civil penalty letter (.pdf file) to respond to the agency.