Can the FAA impose both a fine and certificate suspension for the same FAR violation?

The correct response highlights the principle of double jeopardy, which traditionally applies in criminal law to prevent an individual from being tried for the same offense after an acquittal or conviction. In the context of aviation law and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), while the FAA does have regulatory authority to impose penalties for violations of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR), these penalties must align with fair legal principles.

Specifically, the FAA cannot impose both a fine and a certificate suspension for the same violation because doing so would constitute multiple punishments for the same offense, which is akin to the double jeopardy concern. The FAA aims to ensure that its enforcement actions are proportional and just, meaning that a single violation should lead to only one type of enforcement action to maintain fairness in its regulatory framework.

In contrast, the other options suggest varying levels of permissiveness regarding the FAA's imposition of penalties. For instance, stating that both penalties are allowed for any violation disregards the notion of fair legal practices, while the suggestion that it can only occur if the violation is severe or under certain conditions introduces unnecessary conditions not aligned with established FAA enforcement policies. The underpinning rationale is that the regulatory framework aims to avoid disproportionately punishing an individual for a single violation.