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The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that it has proposed to revoke the air carrier certificate of Honolulu-
based cargo airline Rhoades Aviation Inc. for what the agency called “numerous alleged safety violations.”
Among the FAA’s allegations listed in a Tuesday news release were that the company conducted improper maintenance on engines, failed to document work or keep proper records, and operated a Boeing 737 that “was not air worthy.”
The FAA had previously grounded the company while investigators probed the company after a July 2 crash in which the company ditched a Boeing 737, though the FAA said at the time it had been investigating Rhoades’ maintenance and safety practices since fall 2020 and told the company about two weeks before the crash that it planned to revoke its authority to do maintenance inspections.
In a news release issued Tuesday night, Rhoades said it “disputes the proposed action” and that it has requested a meeting with the FAA to discuss the allegations and proposed action.
“Rhoades has proudly served the inter-island air cargo network for many years, transporting vitally important medicines, PPE, vaccines, essential day-to-day goods, other commercial products, and the U.S. mail, among other items, between the Hawaiian Islands,” the company’s release said. “Rhoades and its 300 Hawaii-based employees look forward to successfully challenging the FAA’s proposed action and resuming flight operations.”
An investigation by KHON-TV after the July 2 crash found the FAA had issued more than a dozen enforcement actions against Rhoades Aviation and Trans Executive Airlines of Hawaii with fines over 25 years totaling more than $200,000. Trade publication Aviation International News found that FAA records showed the aircraft involved had experienced engine failure during takeoff at least twice in recent years.
The July 2 incident
involved Transair Flight 810, a 46-year-old first-generation Boeing 737-200 converted freighter aircraft, making what was supposed to be a quick cargo flight from
Honolulu International Airport to Kahului Airport in the pre-dawn hours.
Shortly after taking off, pilots informed the Honolulu control tower they had lost power in one of their engines. As they turned back, the second engine also overheated.
They tried to make their way to Kalaeloa airport, the nearest airport, but the plane plunged into the water about 2 miles short of the runway in Mamala Bay.
The Coast Guard and other first responders rescued the two pilots, the only crew members. Both were hospitalized at The Queen’s Medical Center but were released within a few days. Crews were later able to recover most of the wreckage and cargo.
As of 2019, Rhoades listed a fleet of six Boeing 737-200 and four Short 360 aircraft. In its Tuesday announcement the FAA alleged that the airline:
>> Failed to maintain Safety Management System records; address issues the FAA found with its general operations manual; conduct proper safety risk management when addressing discrepancies in its aircraft loading, weight and balance, and runway analysis manuals; provide revised manuals to the FAA; and provide safety risk management
documentation when it
submitted its administration manual.
>> Operated two Boeing 737s more than 900 times after failing to add the aircraft to its maintenance and inspection program.
>> Operated a Boeing 737 airplane on 33 flights when it was not airworthy due to engine compressor fan blades that did not meet manufacturer standards.
>> Committed numerous violations related to its FAA-
required Safety Management System program, including failing to ensure that the program was properly implemented and performing in all areas of its organization.
>> Conducted improper maintenance work on engine compressor fan blades and failed to properly document the work.
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