Some Parts Were Not Airworthy, Prosecutor Said

The owner of Quality Aircraft Support in Ninety Six, South Carolina has been ordered to pay $403,000 in fines and serve three years probation for continuing to repair parts for commercial and military aircraft a decade after his FAA certification had expired.

According to The Greenville News, Jerry Comeaux surrendered his air agency certificate number, which allowed him to sign off on parts repairs, in April of 1996. He surrendered his certificate amid allegations he was performing substandard work. The 2008 indictment said Comeaux continued to perform repair work without the certificate, using fraudulent forms that left out references to the FAA. The forms were "substantially similar" to official forms, the indictment charged.

Comeaux pleaded no contest to the charges. His wife, Vicky Comeaux, had been the office manager for Quality Aircraft Support. Charges against here were dropped as part of a plea arrangement. She had overseen documentation for work on government contracts.

According to the indictment, all parts obtained or repaired by Comeaux after he surrendered his certificate in 1996 were "suspect unapproved parts." The couple had also been charged with money laundering, mail fraud, and wire fraud.

FMI: www.faa.gov