Investigations

Emery Worldwide Airlines, Inc., today pleaded guilty to 12 felony counts for willfully violating the Hazardous Material Transportation Act and agreed to pay a $6 million criminal penalty. The case is the second highest dollar recovery related to hazardous materials (hazmat) in the history of U.S. aviation.

A wholly owned subsidiary of CNF, Inc., of Palo Alto, CA, Emery provides air and land transportation for business-to-business shippers of heavyweight cargo. In its plea, Emery admitted that on 12 occasions between November 1998 and July 1999 it transported hazmat on aircraft leaving its hub near the Dayton (OH) International Airport without providing the required written notice to the pilot-in-command that hazmat had been loaded on the aircraft. It is important for pilots to have notice of any hazmat on their aircraft so they can respond quickly and properly to on-board emergencies, such as fires or spills. The types of hazmat involved included nonflammable gas, corrosive liquid, flammable liquid, explosive and radioactive material, toxic substance, and “miscellaneous dangerous goods.” The case was investigated by OIG with assistance from FAA.

A Department of Justice fact sheet on hazardous material transportation can be viewed here.