On a day marked by tragedy, a helicopter crash in the Hudson River claimed the lives of all on board. Coinciding with this incident, a federal grand jury in Los Angeles has accused a local helicopter repair company of endangering its customers in a similar manner.
Jared Michael Swensen, a 48-year-old from Ventura, is at the center of this case. Over a period of more than three years, he allegedly repaired and sold helicopter parts that were close to reaching the end of their service life but falsely claimed they were new. Prosecutors argue that the failure of these parts could have resulted in a catastrophic helicopter crash.
Swensen operated his business, Light Helicopter Depot, from Oxnard Airport. He promoted his services as being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), claiming expertise in refurbishing older helicopters. However, the indictment states that he and his company falsified maintenance logs, altered sale documents, and even forged FAA release certificates, which are crucial for demonstrating that an aircraft is safe to fly.
The charges detail that Swensen billed customers for his services, with invoices totaling $13,000 and $23,700. The investigation was led by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the FAA.
If found guilty, Swensen faces serious penalties. He could receive up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and up to 15 years for each count related to aircraft parts fraud. His company could also face hefty fines, potentially reaching $10 million for each fraud count involving aircraft parts and $1 million for each wire fraud charge.
As of now, Swensen has not entered a plea in response to the charges. This case highlights significant concerns about aviation safety and the integrity of aircraft maintenance practices.