Federal Watchdog Scrutinizes the FAA After a Spate of Safety Incidents

A federal watchdog has launched an audit of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to evaluate its oversight of United Airlines’ maintenance practices to check if the agency is doing its job rigorously enough, citing a run of recent safety events at the carrier that have been linked to mechanical problems. The U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) announced in a May 9 memorandum that it will audit the FAA’s oversight of United Airlines maintenance program to ensure that the agency’s safety controls don’t have any gaps that could undermine the safety of commercial aviation in the United States....