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Mar 10, 2008 8:59 pm US/Central
FBI Investigates Threat On FAA & SWA Whistleblower
Reporting
Jack Fink
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
CBS 11 News has learned the FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into possible threats, made against a local FAA inspector who blew the whistle on his agency and Southwest Airlines. Whistleblowers complained FAA managers and Southwest had a cozy relationship, which allowed planes to fly without required safety inspections.
In a newly released federal report, two DFW-based FAA inspectors, who became whistleblowers, said they believe safety at Southwest Airlines, "Took a back seat to personal friendships and favors... "
The Office of Special Counsel investigated the whistleblowers' complaints that their superiors allowed Southwest Airlines to continue flying 46 of its Boeing 737 jets, even after the airline disclosed it failed to inspect them for cracks in the fuselage as required.
The FAA's rules show that the administration and the airline should have grounded the planes until they were inspected.
Friday, Southwest's CEO insisted safety was never compromised. "Airplanes were flown with the FAA's knowledge before we completed all of the inspections eight days later," he told CBS 11 News.
The newly released documents show in January 2006, one of the whistleblowers, Bobby Boutris, complained that Southwest was "hand-selecting the inspector..."
The report says, "When Southwest officials... learned that Mr. Boutris was to lead the inspection of the airline, they met with his FAA superior, Douglas Gawadzinski, and actively sought his removal."
While Boutris was allowed to do the inspection, the report says Gawadzinski, "instructed him to delay the review until he gave the green light."
The report also shows that on March 28th of last year, after Southwest disclosed it missed important safety checks, the whistleblower, Boutris, documented 21 negative findings. When the information was reported to Gawadzinski, Boutris claims he was instructed not enter them into the FAA database.
On April 9, 2007, the report says, "Boutris was informed he was being removed from his position because an anonymous complaint had been filed against him."
CBS 11 News was unsuccessful in contacting Boutris, the other whistleblower, and Douglas Gawadzinski, who the FAA removed from overseeing Southwest Airlines last May.
On Monday, Southwest Airlines wasn't commenting. The FAA has begun a major review of Southwest's safety and maintenance procedures.
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