Since the FAA began implementing its new compliance philosophy last year, fewer case are being appealed to the NTSB. However, it appears that the cases that are being appealed the most are emergency orders of either suspension or revocation. As you may recall from past articles, when a certificate holder appeals an emergency order to the NTSB, emergency procedures apply to the case which require that a hearing be held within 30 days after the appeal is filed. Other deadlines are also much shorter under the emergency procedures than they are under the procedures for a non-emergency appeal. The purpose for the accelerated hearing and deadlines is to ensure that a certificate holder whose certificate has been suspended or revoked on an emergency basis (i.e. the order is effective immediately) receives a hearing and decision as soon as possible to minimize the impact of the suspension or revocation if the NTSB administrative law judge (“ALJ”) ultimately reverses the FAA’s order.
But in some situations, this expedited timeline can also be a problem for a certificate holder who may need more time to properly prepare for a hearing. So, it is also possible to waive the emergency procedures in an appeal of an emergency order. Whether the emergency procedures should be waived is a decision that will depend upon the circumstances of each case. But the certificate holder must be sure to comply with the deadlines applicable to the case, whether under the emergency or non-emergency procedures. Failure to comply can result in harsh consequences. If a certificate holder is going to waive the emergency procedures, the waiver should occur before any applicable deadline has passed. A recent decision by the NTSB illustrates the unfortunate consequences of an untimely waiver.
In Administrator v. Jimenez; the airman appealed an emergency order revoking his commercial pilot certificate. The airman appealed the order to the NTSB, but failed to file his answer to the FAA’s complaint within the five days required by the Board’s emergency procedures. As a result, the FAA subsequently filed a motion to deem the facts admitted and requesting summary judgment. One day after the FAA filed its motion, the airman waived the emergency procedures and filed his answer which would have still been timely under the proceedures applicable to a non-emergency case. In the absence of good cause for the late filing, the ALJ granted the FAA’s motion based upon the airman’s failure to timely file his answer. The airman then appealed the ALJ’s decision to the full Board.
On appeal, the airman argued that his answer was timely under the non-emergency procedures that were applicable to the case once the airman had waived the emergency procedures. However, the Board rejected the airman’s argument. While the Board observed that Section 821.52(d) permits an airman to waive the the accelerated time limits applicable to emergency cases, it then referred to the rule’s limitation that “such a waiver shall not serve to lengthen any period of time for doing an act prescribed by this subpart which expired before the date on which the waiver was made.” Thus, the Board held that the express language of the rule precluded the airman’s argument that the 20-day deadline, which would apply in a non-emergency case, was applicable because the airman did not waive the the emergency procedures until after the time to file his answer expired.
The rules for emergency and non-emergency cases can sometimes be confusing. And, unfortunately, the consequences of failing to comply with the rules can be significant. This case is yet another example of why it makes sense to have an experienced aviation attorney assist you with appeal of an FAA order of suspension or revocation. If you find yourself in this situation, make sure you get the help you need.
