FLORIDA : ValuJet Cited for Safety in ’95 Flights

ValuJet Inc. knowingly flew a DC-9 with a leaky fuel tank on seven commercial flights before grounding it in April 1995, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. The newspaper quoted Federal Aviation Administration documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, as saying a ValuJet mechanic tipped off regulators by calling a federal air safety hotline in April 1995. The tip led the FAA to propose a $35,000 fine, the paper said. The disciplinary action remains unresolved, and a ValuJet spokesman said the company wants a hearing. ValuJet officials contend the flights were safe even before the leak was repaired. Federal investigators have intensified scrutiny of ValuJet’s maintenance procedures after a May 11 DC-9 crash in the Everglades killed 110 people.