Ventura Man Arrested for Using Faulty Parts in Helicopter Repairs

A man from Ventura was indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly fixing helicopters with parts that were getting close to the end of their lifespan, which increased the likelihood that the aircraft would experience a failure.

In connection with the alleged conspiracy, Jared Michael Swensen, who is 48 years old, and his firm, Light Helicopter Depot, which is situated in Oxnard, are being charged with two charges of wire fraud and eight counts of fraud involving aviation parts, as stated by the United States Department of Justice. If Swenson is found guilty, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 160 years in prison.

In addition to performing routine maintenance, Swenson’s company reportedly performed overhauls on helicopters that contained components that were either nearing or at the end of their lives, as stated by the investigators. The primary rotor blades and spindles, among other components, were allegedly employed by Swenson, who, rather of replacing them with more recent replacements, used components that were either significantly older than he represented or were very close to the end of their lifespan.

If any of the components failed, the Department of Justice predicted that the chopper would most likely go down in flames.

According to the investigators, he allegedly forged several entries in the maintenance logbook of the helicopter that were significantly inaccurate. It was also alleged by federal prosecutors that he altered sales orders and packing slips in order to coincide with the fake data. This was done in order to make the components appear to be years younger than their true age. According to the Department of Justice, Swenson is accused of altering the certificates issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that were used to verify that the helicopter components were airworthy when in a similar position.