Alaska Airlines Faces $810,000 Faa Fine

The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday proposed an $810,000 fine against Alaska Airlines for improperly modifying the main landing gear on a Boeing 737-200 and then operating the aircraft.

The FAA contended that on March 5, 1992, the airline installed new wheels and brakes on the landing gear in a manner not fully complying with requirements of a Boeing service bulletin.

The aircraft was placed in service in an improperly altered state and made more than 9,000 passenger-carrying flights, the agency said in a news release.

FAA spokesman Tim Pile said the airline installed a different brand of wheels and brakes without replacing a number of hydraulic components, as required by Boeing. He said there was no evidence the action was deliberate.

The problem was discovered during an FAA inspection on May 14, 1996.