WASHINGTON–The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $417,500 civil penalty against FedEx of Memphis, Tenn., for allegedly operating an aircraft that was not in compliance with Federal Aviation Regulations.

The FAA alleges that FedEx failed to rebalance a horizontal stabilizer tab control surface on the Boeing 727 after repainting the part. The Boeing 727 Structural Repair Manual identifies the work as a major repair and requires rebalancing the control surface after the work is done.

The FAA alleges that FedEx’s failure to perform the rebalancing requirements rendered the aircraft unairworthy and that the company operated the aircraft on at least 133 flights when it was in that condition.

“Safety depends on every operator paying close attention to every regulatory requirement,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “It’s also critical for operators to implement internal controls to ensure that they’re following all applicable protocols and regulations.”

FedEx has asked to meet with the FAA to discuss the case.