(a) Complaint—(1) Filing. The complainant must file the original and one copy of the complaint with the Federal Docket Management System, or may file a written motion pursuant to 406.141(f)(1) instead of filling a complaint, not later than 20 days after receipt by the complainant of a request for hearing. The complainant should suggest a location for the hearing when filing the complaint.

(2) Service. The complainant must personally deliver or mail a copy of the complaint to the respondent, or the respondent's attorney or representative who has filed a notice of appearance in accordance with §406.107.

(3) Contents of complaint. The final notice of proposed civil penalty issued under §406.9(d) may be filed as the complaint. A complaint must set forth the following in sufficient detail to provide notice:

(i) The facts alleged.

(ii) Any requirement of the Act, a regulation issued under the Act, or any term or condition of a license or permit issued or transferred under the Act allegedly violated by the respondent.

(iii) The proposed civil penalty.

(b) Answer—(1) Time for filing. The respondent must file an answer to the complaint, or may file a written motion pursuant to §406.141(f)(2) instead of filing an answer, not later than 30 days after service of the complaint.

(2) Form. The answer must be in writing. The answer may be in the form of a letter but must be dated and signed by the person responding to the complaint. The answer must be legible, and may be handwritten, typed, or printed from a computer.

(3) Filing and service. A respondent must file the answer with the Federal Docket Management System and serve a copy of the answer on the agency attorney who filed the complaint.

(4) Contents of answer—(i) Specific denial of allegations required. The respondent must admit, deny, or state that the respondent is without sufficient knowledge or information to admit or deny, each numbered paragraph of the complaint. Any statement or allegation contained in the complaint that is not specifically denied in the answer constitutes an admission of the truth of that allegation. An administrative law judge shall treat a general denial of the complaint as a failure to file an answer.

(ii) Affirmative defenses. The answer must specifically state any affirmative defense that the respondent asserts.

(iii) Request for relief. The answer may include a brief statement of any relief requested.

(iv) Hearing location. The respondent should suggest a location for the hearing when filing the answer.

(5) Failure to file answer. A respondent's failure to file an answer without good cause constitutes an admission of the truth of each allegation contained in the complaint.

[Doc. No. FAA-2001-8607, 66 FR 2180, Jan. 10, 2001, as amended by Amdt. 406-4, 72 FR 17017, Apr. 6, 2007; 72 FR 68476, Dec. 5, 2007]