FAA proposes revoking Nantucket Express’s air carrier certificate over alleged safety issues
3 January 2020
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes to revoke the air carrier certificate of Nantucket Express, LLC of Nantucket, Mass., for allegedly conducting passenger-carrying flights using unqualified pilots and operating unauthorized aircraft.
The FAA alleges that:
Between March 2015 and September 2017, Nantucket Express conducted 76 passenger-carrying flights using three aircraft that were not listed on its air carrier certificate, and that unqualified pilots operated these flights. The pilots were unqualified by either not being listed on the air carrier certificate as an authorized pilot or by failing to pass a required knowledge test and competency and flight checks.
Nantucket Express operated 39 of these passenger-carrying flights in an aircraft that had not undergone required safety inspections.
Between April 2016 and September 2017, unqualified pilots operated an additional 17 passenger-carrying flights.
The FAA alleges that “Nantucket Express’s actions were careless or reckless, and its numerous violations of the Federal Aviation Regulations demonstrate that it lacks the qualifications to hold an air carrier certificate.”
Nantucket Express has 15 days from when it receives the Notice of Proposed Certificate Action to notify the FAA on how it will respond to the proposed revocation. If the company fails to respond within that time, the FAA will issue a revocation order.