CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
A federal administrative law judge has upheld the government’s decision to revoke the pilot’s license of a veteran aviator who flew in a July 4 celebration in Tehachapi that ended with the fatal crash of a vintage Soviet military jet.
Patrick Geraghty, a judge with the National Transportation Safety Board, ruled late Monday in an appeal by Douglas E. Gilliss of Solana Beach, a former Air Force pilot and Vietnam War veteran with years of aviation experience.
Gilliss was one of several pilots who participated in a formation flyover of three Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfins. One L-29 fell out of formation and crashed, killing David Zweigle, 42,the city’s airport director; and Robert Chamberlain, 63, of Morrison, Colo., a former Air Force test pilot.
-- Dan Weikel
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
