FAA Seeks $351,000 Fine Against Creamer Pilot Services

<div class="key-facts"><h2>What travelers need to know</h2><ul> <li><strong>What happened:</strong> The FAA has proposed a $351,000 civil penalty against Creamer Pilot Services over alleged unauthorized passenger-carrying flights.</li> <li><strong>Who's affected:</strong> Passengers who flew with Creamer Pilot Services on the flights in question; the company itself faces the fine.</li> <li><strong>Where:</strong> Creamer Pilot Services is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas; some flights allegedly went outside the 48 contiguous United States.</li> <li><strong>When:</strong> Alleged violations occurred between <time datetime="2021-10-01">October 2021</time> and <time datetime="2022-11-30">November 2022</time>; the FAA announced the proposed fine on <time datetime="2026-10-19">October 19, 2026</time>.</li> <li><strong>What to do:</strong> Creamer Pilot Services has 30 days from receipt of the FAA's notice to respond before any penalty is finalized.</li> </ul></div> <p>The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $351,000 civil penalty against Creamer Pilot Services, a charter operator based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, accusing the company of running passenger flights it was not authorized to fly. The FAA announced the proposed fine on <time datetime="2026-10-19">October 19, 2026</time>, saying the violations span more than a year of operations and involve five different aircraft.</p> <p>According to the FAA, Creamer conducted 31 passenger-carrying flights using three aircraft that were not listed on the company's Operations Specifications — the document that spells out which planes and routes a certificated operator is cleared to fly. Those flights allegedly took place on various dates between <time datetime="2021-10-01">October 2021</time> and <time datetime="2022-07-31">July 2022</time>.</p> <h2>Six more flights allegedly crossed into unauthorized territory</h2> <p>The FAA separately alleges that Creamer flew six passenger-carrying flights on two aircraft that were properly listed on its Operations Specifications but that traveled beyond the 48 contiguous states without clearance to do so. Those flights reportedly occurred between <time datetime="2022-04-01">April 2022</time> and <time datetime="2022-11-30">November 2022</time>. Combined with the earlier allegations, the agency counts 37 total violations.</p> <p>The FAA's characterization of the conduct is pointed: the agency states that all 37 alleged violations were committed "knowingly, carelessly, and recklessly." That language signals the agency views the lapses as more than administrative oversights, a distinction that can affect how aggressively FAA enforcement pursues the case and how steep any final penalty becomes.</p> <h2>What the proposed fine covers

Below is a summary of the two categories of alleged violations the FAA has outlined.</p> <table> <tr><th>Allegation</th><th>Number of flights</th><th>Aircraft involved</th><th>Timeframe</th></tr> <tr><td>Flights on aircraft not listed on Operations Specifications</td><td>31</td><td>3 aircraft</td><td>October 2021 to July 2022</td></tr> <tr><td>Flights outside the 48 contiguous states without authorization</td><td>6</td><td>2 aircraft</td><td>April 2022 to November 2022</td></tr> </table> <p>A civil penalty of this size is proposed, not final. Creamer Pilot Services has the standard window to respond to the FAA's notice, present evidence, or negotiate before the agency settles on a final figure. The FAA has not released additional detail on the specific aircraft tail numbers, the routes flown, or how it identified the unauthorized operations. The next step is Creamer's formal response to the agency, which will determine whether the case moves toward a settlement or further review.</p>