It was no Airbus A320 landing in the Hudson River, but the sight of a private plane, which had just taken off from Teterboro Airport, skidding across Route 46 in NJ and then crashing into a warehouse was definitely something else four years ago. Now, the Star-Ledger reports the U.S. Attorney's office has charged a charter company with "misrepresenting itself to customers as a certified charter operation." The feds say Platinum Jet Management "falsified flight records and routinely overloaded planes with fuel at airports where it was cheaper to top-off the tanks," and assistant U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra said, "It is astounding -- and criminal -- that owners and operators of jet aircraft would repeatedly engage in such a dangerous game with passengers and airplanes loaded to the brim with jet fuel. What this indictment alleges is an anything-goes attitude by the defendants to get their planes in the air and maximize profits without regard to passenger safety or compliance with basic regulations."
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2025. Donate today