FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 15, 1998
Contact: Jeff Nelligan
Telephone: (202) 366-6312
OIG 18-98
Repair Station Owner, Chief
Inspector
Plead Guilty to Making False Statements
On Maintenance Records
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Office of Inspector General announced that on June 2, 1998, in the Southern District of Ohio, Owner George E. Geisz and Chief Inspector Douglas P. Walters of Aero Power, Inc., Cleves, Ohio, pleaded guilty to knowingly and willfully submitting false documents required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
After surrendering the company’s FAA-Certified Repair Station Certificate, Geisz and Walters continued to direct mechanics to repair and overhaul aircraft engines. During the investigation, it was determined that repair work was not performed in accordance with accepted industry standards. The following discrepancies were found:
- Engine crankcase weld repairs were performed by a noncertified facility and the repairs were outside the scope of the manufacturers manuals;
- Engines were approved for return to service without proper documentation of work accomplished and some engines were approved for return to service by uncertified individuals, and
- Used replacement parts were installed which did not meet engine manufacturers’ requirements.
The investigation preceding the guilty pleas was a joint effort by special agents of the department’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Civil Aviation Security.
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