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On Friday the FAA announced it has issued an emergency order revoking Santa Monica Propeller Service's certificate, alleging that the company approved propellers for return to service but failed to replace certain parts, falsely certifying that the parts had been replaced, as well as allowing unqualified personnel to issue return to service approvals.
The FAA has alleged that between May and November 2021, Santa Monica Propellers approved four Hartzell propellers for return to service after overhauls, but failed to replace some parts per manufacturer-manual requirements. The company has also been alleged to have falsely certified that it replaced those parts while knowing the certification was false. Between January and November 2021, the company is alleged to have had an unqualified person approve about 42 propellers for return to service. The FAA said it informed the company's owner of this in December 2021 and February 2022, but unqualified personnel allegedly issued return-to-service approvals for four propellers between September 2022 and January 2023.
In March 2023 the FAA performed an inspection of the company, finding additional alleged violations. The FAA alleges that there were supervisory personnel who were not appropriately certified as a mechanic or repairman and there were personnel signing off on final inspections and maintenance releases that were not certified as a mechanic or repairman. It was also alleged that repairable tags throughout the repair station were incomplete, blank and installed on serviceable and unserviceable parts, that there were many parts stored around the repair station missing the required status tags and documentation, and multiple pieces of measuring and test equipment overdue for calibration. The FAA is also alleging that the repair station manual had not been updated in over a decade and referenced a previous owner and the management was unable to provide the list of products the company was authorized to work on.
Santa Monica Propeller Service has surrendered its certificate to the FAA.