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FAA Calls Out 'Systemic' Hazard at United

Repeated violations regarding pilot qualification, scheduling requirements prompt regulator to step up oversight

United Continental said it supplied the FAA with 'a full outline of our corrective actions' on March 25. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

By ANDY PASZTOR and SUSAN CAREY

Federal aviation inspectors stepped up oversight of United Continental Holdings Inc. two months ago, citing risks from repeated violations of mandatory pilot qualification and scheduling requirements.

The Federal Aviation Administration's decision was spelled out in a Feb. 6 letter from a high-ranking agency official to United's top safety officer.

The letter, which called for a thorough overhaul of parts of United's process for qualifying crew members, represents the most detailed indication yet of FAA worries about United's internal safety oversight.

The FAA letter, viewed by The Wall Street Journal, followed a safety warning sent in January to United pilots by the airline 's top safety officials.

That warning in January was prompted by four recent and separate "safety events and near misses."

The alleged infractions in the FAA letter don't involve those incidents, but rather cover areas such as pilot records and crew-member qualifications.

The letter doesn't specify the violations, but those terms could mean issues like aviators not undergoing requisite, periodic check rides overseen by examiners within the required time, or the airline lacking records to document completion of such proficiency checks.

The letter also cites problems with scheduling, which could include flying longer than the FAA allows. The FAA approves airlines' systems governing such matters, and carriers are required to comply with those rules.

The No. 2 U.S. airline by traffic said it provided the FAA "a full outline of our corrective actions" on March 25, and considers the situation "resolved."

An FAA spokeswoman said the agency is evaluating the airline's response. She declined to elaborate.