Italian regional carrier Sky Alps has temporarily grounded seven aircraft as a precaution following concerns over maintenance certification which emerged during an audit.
Sky Alps is based in Bolzano, in northern Italy, and has around 14 De Havilland Dash 8-400s.
Inspectors from Italian civil aviation regulator ENAC conducted the audit over the course of 26-28 February.
ENAC says physical examination of aircraft registered in Malta, as well as documents, turned up “a number of non-conformities”.
The discrepancies indicated deficiencies in aircraft maintenance certificates with respect to European Union regulatory requirements.
Certifications provided by a particular maintenance technician were discovered “not to be compliant”. He was subsequently prohibited from accessing airports where the carrier operates.
ENAC says it has received “full co-operation” from Sky Alps’ owners and staff.
But given the uncertainty over certification of maintenance performed on the fleet, it says, the carrier is suspending flights with seven aircraft “in order to prevent risk to air transport operations”.
“For these aircraft, the return to service may take place on completion of appropriate corrective actions,” says ENAC.
These measures will be proposed by Sky Alps and assessed by ENAC in co-ordination with its Maltese counterpart.
