Nothing can ruin your day quite like receiving a dreaded FAA letter of investigation in the mail. If handled improperly, the FAA letter of investigation could lead to an enforcement action and possibly threaten your livelihood or FAA certificated privileges. Understanding why you received your letter of investigation and what you should do in response is critical to thwarting a possible enforcement action.

If the FAA has reason to believe that you (as a certificated pilot, air carrier, mechanic, repair station, etc) violated a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR), you will likely receive a letter of investigation from a local FAA aviation safety inspector. The FAA letter of investigation can relate to the approval, denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of your certificate. The overall purpose of this letter is to give you access to information as required by the Pilot’s Bill of Rights. A letter of investigation will give you information on the nature of the investigation and that you are entitled to applicable air traffic data.

The two most important things to remember about your letter of investigation are that: 1) you are not required to respond to your letter of your investigation and 2) any response you submit to your letter of investigation may be used against you in an FAA enforcement action.

The wording of a letter of investigation tends to make you believe that you must respond within 10 days of receiving the letter. This is not true; no response is required. It is easy to want to respond to a letter of investigation, especially if you feel you’ve done nothing wrong. This is a temptation you must try and avoid. Information you give to the FAA inspector could incriminate you in a possible FAA enforcement action. Sometimes assertions made by the FAA are completely incorrect and a properly worded response can assist in making allegations disappear.

The best thing to do if you receive an FAA letter of investigation is to call your aviation attorneys at the Ison Law Group right away. If a response is deemed appropriate, we can help you address and explain any allegations brought against you. Your team at the Ison Law Group can help mitigate damage, minimize investigation, and help you avoid providing admissions or other evidence that could later be used against you. Let us vector your through your legal turbulence. Call us today, toll-free at 1-855-LAW-1215.