Page 4 - aruba-today-20220728

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 28 July 2022
Whistleblowers hit Southwest, FAA for lax safety practices

By DAVID KOENIG AP cases, the airline found that
Airlines Writer the planes had undergone
DALLAS (AP) — Federal of- repair work that wasn't
ficials say that Southwest documented or couldn't
Airlines and the union rep- be verified.
resenting its pilots have re- The FAA said some of the
sisted cooperating with in- whistleblower allegations
vestigations into accidents couldn't be proven, includ-
and other incidents and ing a claim that Southwest
pushed to close the mat- routinely assigns too much
ters quickly. work for mechanics to han-
In one instance disclosed dle.
Wednesday, the Federal A separate allegation that
Aviation Administration cut the FAA improperly certified
short an investigation of a Southwest for long overwa-
2019 incident in Connecti- ter flights — approval the
cut even though the agen- airline needed to sell flights
cy determined that there to Hawaii — was examined
was pilot error. Both wings by the Transportation De-
of the Southwest jet were partment's inspector gen-
damaged as pilots battling eral, who could not verify
wind tried to land at Brad- the claim.
ley International Airport, Southwest Airlines planes at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, July 17, 2019. An FAA spokeswoman said
outside of Hartford. Associated Press the agency takes the spe-
The FAA said Southwest cial counsel's concerns seri-
and union officials resisted the U.S. Office of Special raised by three whistle- by the office monitoring ously and has adopt its rec-
interviews with agency Counsel, which represents blowers and took correc- Southwest that has persist- ommendations.
representatives in that federal whistleblowers. It tive steps including more ed despite management Dallas-based Southwest
and other cases. Some- reported another accident training and development and staff changes over the has faced questions about
times the delaying tactics — a plane that went off the of audits to ensure compli- years. The FAA said new safety over the years and
worked. An investigation runway in Burbank, Cali- ance with aviation-safety executives will provide "a has paid millions to settle
into why pilots placed duct fornia — in which an FAA guidelines. fresh opportunity to evalu- safety violations, however,
tape over sensors outside a review was "fast-tracked" The special counsel's office ate" the oversight of South- it has a good record over
plane before a flight fizzled under pressure from South- investigated eight allega- west. its five-decade history.
when the FAA employee west. In a separate review tions raised by four whistle- Some of the whistleblower No passenger had died
took another job. of that incident, the Nation- blowers. The office forward- accusations have been in an accident involving
Neither Southwest nor its al Transportation Review ed its findings to the White leveled before, including a Southwest plane until
pilots' union responded im- Board found that the co- House and Congress. Southwest's use of planes 2018, when a woman was
mediately to requests for pilot's conduct was "highly In a response to the special bought overseas without killed after an engine broke
comment. unprofessional." counsel's office, the FAA verifying their maintenance apart over Pennsylvania
The FAA investigation was The FAA said it agreed with said it found "mismanage- and inspection records. and debris shattered the
disclosed Wednesday by some of the allegations ment and lack of oversight" In more than half of those window next to her seat. q
Hawaii couple charged with stealing IDs of dead Texas kids

against the government, Old photos show the cou- clined to comment. A bail
according to federal court ple wearing uniforms of the hearing is scheduled Thurs-
records unsealed in Hono- KGB, the former Russian spy day in U.S. District Court.
lulu. agency, Assistant U.S. Attor- John Montague, whose
Walter Glenn Primrose and ney Thomas Muehleck said. daughter, Julie, died in
Gwynn Darle Morrison, Faded Polaroids of each in 1968 at 3 weeks of age, said
both in their late 60s, who uniform were included in he was shocked when he
allegedly lived for decades the motion to have them heard someone had been
under the names Bobby held. living under his daughter's
Edward Fort and Julie Lyn A "close associate" of Mor- name.
Montague, respectively, rison said she lived in Ro- "I still can't believe it hap-
were arrested Friday in Ka- mania while it was a Soviet pened," Montague, 91,
polei on the island of Oahu. bloc country, Muehleck told The Associated Press.
Prosecutors are seeking said. "The odds are like one-in-a-
to have the couple held Prosecutors said there is a trillion that they found her
without bail, which could high risk the couple would and used her name. Peo-
This undated photo provided by the United States District Court indicate the case is about flee if freed. They also sug- ple stoop to do anything
District of Hawaii shows Walter Glenn Primose, left, also known
as Bobby Edward Fort and this undated photo provided by the more than defrauding the gested that Primrose, who nowadays. Let kids rest in
United States District Court District of Hawaii shows Gwynn Darle government to obtain driv- was an avionics electrical peace."
Morrison, right, aka Julie Lyn Montague. ers' licenses, passports and technician in the Coast Primrose and Morrison were
Associated Press Defense Department cre- Guard, was highly skilled to born in 1955 and they at-
dentials. The documents communicate secretly if re- tended high school togeth-
By JENNIFER SINCO KELLE- wife who lived for decades led to Primrose getting se- leased. er in Port Lavaca, Texas,
HER and BRIAN MELLEY under the identities of two cret security clearance The couple is also believed and then went to Stephen
Associated Press dead Texas children have with the U.S. Coast Guard to have other aliases, Mue- F. Austin University, accord-
HONOLULU (AP) — A U.S. been charged with iden- and as a defense contrac- hleck said. ing to court records. They
defense contractor and his tity theft and conspiring tor. Lawyers for the couple de- married in 1980.q