Whistleblowers hit Southwest, FAA for lax safety practices

Southwest Airlines and the union representing its pilots have resisted cooperating with investigations into accidents and have pushed to close the matter quickly, according to federal officials.

Even though the FAA determined that there was pilot error in the Connecticut incident, they cut the investigation short. The Southwest jet's wings were damaged when pilots tried to land at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut.

Southwest and union officials refused to be interviewed by the FAA. There were times when the delayed tactics worked. When the FAA employee took another job, the investigation into why pilots put duct tape over the sensors failed.

Southwest said it has cooperated with government inquiries.

Several FAA-approved safety programs designed to help us manage and mitigate operational risks and execute safe operating practices have been maintained by the company.

Requests for comment from the union representing Southwest pilots were not responded to.

The FAA is being investigated by the Office of Special Counsel. The FAA review of the Burbank accident was fast-tracked under pressure from Southwest. The National Transportation Review Board found that the co-pilot's conduct was not professional.

The FAA took corrective steps after agreeing with some of the allegations made by three whistle blowers.

Four whistle blowers were investigated by the special counsel's office. The White House and Congress received the findings.

The FAA said it found mismanagement and lack of oversight by the office that monitors Southwest that has persisted despite management and staff changes over the years. New executives will give the FAA a chance to evaluate the oversight of Southwest.

Southwest's use of planes bought overseas without verification of their maintenance and inspection records was one of the accusations leveled by the whistle blower. Repairs that weren't documented or couldn't be verified were found in more than 50% of the cases.

Some of the allegations can't be proven, including one that Southwest assigns too much work for mechanics.

The Transportation Department's inspector general couldn't verify the claim that the FAA certified Southwest for long overwater flights, which is required for flights to Hawaii.

The FAA has adopted the recommendations of the special counsel.

Southwest has faced questions about safety in the past but has a good record over the last five decades.

The last passenger to die in an accident involving a Southwest plane was a woman who died after an engine broke. A 6-year-old boy was killed in 2005 when a Southwest jet skidded off the runway and crashed into a car in Chicago during a snowstorm.