The Federal Aviation Administration has removed speed and altitude flying restrictions on SkyWest regional aircraft it had imposed earlier this year after an incident when a SkyWest jet dramatically lost altitude.
The FAA said SkyWest crew stalled an aircraft at cruising altitude, which plunged 12,000 feet rapidly.
The airline disputed this saying the jet lost only 4,000 feet and was not in a mid-air stall.
The airline described it as a ‘slow speed event.’
"A SkyWest CRJ aircraft experienced an isolated slow speed event, which is when an aircraft reaches less than optimal speeds. The aircraft’s slow speed alert systems functioned perfectly, and the crew responded appropriately with a 4,000-foot descent. No stall occurred," a SkyWest statement said.
Following the incident last April, the FAA imposed restrictions on CRJ regional aircraft to ensure they maintain a constant speed an do not fly above 35,000 feet.
The FAA is now seems satisfied SkyWest has addressed the issue.
A stall is more common at high altitude when aircraft are operating at too slow a speed.
