An air ambulance service based at the Charlotte County (FL) Airport has been shut down by federal officials for alleged air safety violations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on May 23 suspend Air Trek’s operating license. According to the FAA’s emergency order of suspension, the company: failed to abide by guidelines regulating aircraft weight and balance; allowed unqualified pilots to command international flights; allowed pilots to fly after they failed required competency/proficiency checks; did not provide pilots adequate rest time; did not maintain equipment and records as required by airworthiness directives; did not perform timely inspections; and, lacks sufficient qualified management and technical personnel to ensure the safety of its operations.
A company spokesman said the firm had not kept proper records, but followed federal safety guidelines and fixed “clerical” errors that prompted the suspension, according to a local press report.
The firm is working with federal officials to lift the suspension and has filed an appeal with the National Transportation Safety Board. No hearing date has been set, according to an FAA spokeswoman.
Air Trek transports sick or injured people between clinics and hospitals both in and out of the United States, using seven Cessna aircraft, including four Cessna 500s, and a Westwind 1124A.
The FAA noted that three Air Trek aircraft crashed over the past three years, with one resulting in six fatalities.
The suspension order resulted from an extensive FAA inspection of the EMS provider in early May.