NetJets kept unserviceable aircraft in service, endangering passengers and seriously injuring a pilot.

On April 11, 2006 First Officer Gibbs and his Captain, both NetJets pilots, reported for duty to fly their employer’s Cessna Citation Excel, registered CS- DFR at London City airport. The pilots were informed by an engineer there was problem with the air conditioning system on the previous flight, but that the aircraft was fit for service. The aircraft was flown to Dublin, Ireland without incident.

However the next day, on departure from Dublin the aircraft suffered a contaminated air event. The emergency pressurisation system operated, causing fumes to enter the cabin and cockpit. The fumes were inhaled by both pilots and the seven passengers aboard. The passengers were frightened by the smoke and noise of the operation of the emergency pressurisation system. An emergency return to Dubin was carried out and a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) was filed. That evening, Gibbs felt extremely tired. This was the first effect of the poisoning from the contaminated air. In the next few days, his condition worsened, and he was forced to declare himself unfit to fly. Over the following months, his condition worsened further, with multiple symptoms in the classic manner of Aerotoxic Syndrome.

The sick pilot discovered that the same aircraft, CS-DFR, had a history of cabin air contamination events. For example, the same aircraft had suffered a contaminated air event at Toulouse, France on October 1st, 2005 when the cabin filled with dense smoke. The passengers happened to be NetJets crew, who asked for oxygen masks to be dropped. One passenger left his seat and sat on aircraft floor in an attempt to reduce his exposure to the poisonous fumes. Again, an emergency landing was carried out. The same aircraft, CS-DFR suffered yet another contaminated air event on January 21, 2006, this time at Paris LeBourget, France. Once again, an emergency was landing carried out.

Thus it appears that this aircraft had an ongoing, unresolved problem and that it had not been safe to keep the machine in service when Gibbs had flown it.

Gibbs located a number of medical experts conversant with the problems of contaminated air. All of these experts agreed that contaminated air was the only likely cause of his sickness.

Gibbs was fit and healthy before the exposure, and became sick immediately afterwards with symptoms typical of contaminated air exposure. Gibbs therefore informed NetJets that he was sure that the cause of his sickness was the exposure to contaminated air he suffered.

NetJets cut his pay due to his ongoing sickness and eventually dismissed him in 2009 because he was still, 3 years later, unable to work due to his condition. Throughout, NetJets refused to admit any responsibility for his sickness, and he was paid no compensation when his employment was terminated.