Fed: Mass aircraft grounding may lead to legal action: body

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-1999
Fed: Mass aircraft grounding may lead to legal action: body

Aircraft owners say the grounding of thousands of light aircraft across Australia over
potentially dangerous contaminated fuel will disrupt Christmas plans and may lead to major
legal action.

The Australian Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association says the scare could not have
come at a worse time.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has issued an airworthiness directive to all light
aircraft owners over fuel from Mobil in Melbourne that has already caused one aborted
aircraft take-off.

CASA has directed aircraft operators to have checks done by qualified maintenance engineers
before their aircraft fly again.

MIKE HART, general manager of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, says thousands
of aircraft are affected.

He says a case of contaminated fuel in the United States several years ago had resulted
in millions of dollars in compensation being paid out by a fuel company.

AAP RTV gf/er/msk

KEYWORD: AVIATION (MELBOURNE)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.