"That's the maximum fine for all aviation consumer-type violations — it's not strictly related to this rule," he said.
The government found violations of aviation agency regulations by Argenbright at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport outside Washington, La Guardia Airport in New York, and the major airports in Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle, Trenton, Columbus, Ohio, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The police investigation quickly established that there were shortcomings in Trans Polar's bookkeeping and that there were several violations of aviation regulations.
The sharp turn averted one problem but created a new potential violation of aviation rules.
The Federal Aviation Administration says it is a violation of aviation regulations to disobey the instructions of a flight crew.
Meanwhile, the unaccompanied luggage flew without its owners from Chicago to Dulles International Airport outside Washington, which is not a violation of aviation rules on a domestic flight, Homeland Security Department officials said.
The Obama administration supports global rules on greenhouse gas emissions by airplanes on international flights but opposes the European measure because of possible violations of existing aviation treaties and because it could delay work on a more sweeping worldwide agreement in the United Nations.
But without a flashing red beacon, the building is in violation of federal aviation law.
"If they're seeing aerobatics over their houses, it could be a violation of federal aviation regulations and we'd look into it," Mr. Peters said.
Ms. Spitaliere said that the aviation agency had no reports of violations and that the airlines were following the rule the way the F.A.A. saw it.
