Hop-A-Jet Presses FAA to Close Engine Corrosion Inspection Loopholes

The NTSB investigation into the February 9, 2024, accident in Naples, Florida, concluded that corrosion within the variable geometry system components caused near-simultaneous compressor stalls. Two pilots died after the aircraft lost thrust and struck a road sign during an emergency landing. Hop-A-Jet, which submitted formal comments to the FAA by the June 15 deadline, argues that the agency’s proposed rulemaking fails to address critical gaps that left operators blind to the internal degradation of their engines.

Central to the company's concern is the fact that specialized borescope inspections are typically handled by manufacturers or authorized vendors rather than operators. Hop-A-Jet revealed that archived imagery from prior inspections actually showed visible corrosion, yet the condition was never reported to the flight crews. The charter operator is now pushing for mandatory visual inspections, stricter reporting requirements for corrosion findings, and revised maintenance manuals that specifically flag sea and salt environments as high-risk factors. By closing these pathways for optional compliance, the company aims to ensure that safety-critical engine defects are identified and acted upon before they result in catastrophic failure.