# Pilot loses license after fatal jet crash in Tehachapi, Calif.



## syscom3 (Oct 7, 2009)

The former Air Force captain received a revocation order after a Fourth of July aerial display ended with two deaths.

Pilot loses license after fatal jet crash in Tehachapi, Calif. -- latimes.com

By Dan Weikel

October 7, 2009

Federal authorities have revoked the pilot's license of a veteran aviator who flew in a July 4 aerial display in Tehachapi, Calif., that ended with the fatal crash of a vintage Soviet military jet with two people aboard.

The Federal Aviation Administration canceled the airline transport pilot and ground instruction certificates of Douglas E. Gilliss of Solana Beach, a former U.S. Air Force captain and Vietnam War veteran with decades of aviation experience.

The FAA sent Gilliss a revocation order Sept. 28, a copy of which was obtained by The Times on Tuesday under the federal Freedom of Information Act.

Gilliss was one of several pilots who participated in a formation flyover of three Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfins, once the standard jet trainer of the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact nations during the Cold War. Gilliss flies with the Thunder Delfins, a group of L-29 enthusiasts.

During the flyover, one Delfin fell out of formation and slammed into Old Town Road, killing David Zweigle, 42, the city's airport director, and Robert Chamberlain, 63, of Morrison, Colo., a retired airline pilot and former Air Force test pilot. The aircraft, which was owned and flown by Zweigle, passed over a park and missed several houses before impact.

FAA officials say that Gilliss violated federal regulations by flying over densely populated areas at less than 1,000 feet. They also assert that Gilliss improperly carried a passenger and falsely claimed in a pilot's log that he had checked out Zweigle in the L-29 before the crash.

Zweigle was required to demonstrate his ability to fly the L-29 to an FAA-designated flight examiner before he could act as the pilot in command of the aircraft. FAA officials say Gilliss was a flight examiner at the time.

"You have demonstrated that you lack the required care, judgment and responsibility to hold any airman certificate," the FAA stated in the revocation order.

Gilliss declined to comment, except to say that he would appeal the decision.

In an earlier statement, he said the L-29s avoided populated areas and flew between 1,200 and 1,500 feet, well above the minimum required altitude.

He said the planes did not present a hazard to the public because they proceeded along the area's railroad tracks and not directly over the city of about 35,000.

[email protected]

Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times


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## vikingBerserker (Oct 8, 2009)

Wow, I did not hear about this crash.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 8, 2009)

Pretty sure you would have, VB...it's the one that happened over the 4th.

Bob Chamberlain was a member of FLYBOYJ's family.


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## evangilder (Oct 8, 2009)

What a load of crap. I am sure that Joe has plenty of thoughts on this, but I will say that the FAA pulled a witch hunt on this and I think it really sucks.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 8, 2009)

My thoughts exactly.

It seems more and more that the investigations are nothing more than justification for thier existance. Just look at what they did about that mosquito abatement crash where the pilot admitted he clipped the tower guy-wires...and they went after the maintenance records...


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## lesofprimus (Oct 8, 2009)

Ill be very interested to see what Joe has to say on this one......


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 8, 2009)

Hi Guys;

I was waiting for this to hit and all i could say is "no comment." This is more for Doug's defense team than anything else but as soon as this is over I could go into detail about this. IMO the feds are looking for a scapegoat.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 8, 2009)

Wow this sucks! Can't wait to see what comes out of this.


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## RabidAlien (Oct 8, 2009)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Hi Guys;
> 
> I was waiting for this to hit and all i could say is "no comment." This is more for Doug's defense team than anything else but as soon as this is over I could go into detail about this. *IMO the feds are looking for a scapegoat.*



No surprises there. Why claim responsibility, or admit that really crappy things just tend to happen at times? Gotta blame SOMEONE!!!

ETA: Sorry that your family is still going through this crap, Joe.


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## Vassili Zaitzev (Oct 8, 2009)

I'll have to wait and see. Once again, I'm sorry that this had to happen to you and your family FBJ.


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## evangilder (Oct 9, 2009)

I am going to show my support with a new siggy. Feel free to use it guys to show your support.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 9, 2009)

I will add the siggy when I get home.


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## GrauGeist (Oct 9, 2009)

evangilder said:


> I am going to show my support with a new siggy. Feel free to use it guys to show your support.



Got mine!


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## Maestro (Oct 9, 2009)

What the hell ?

A plane crashed killing two men and they blame the *flight leader* ? Excuse me, but I think that in a plane accident, only two persons can be blamed... The pilot (who died, in this case) and the ground crew (if it is due to a malfunction). And even though, the accident could still be the result of "dumb luck"... or bad luck, depending on your point of view. Which means no one can be blamed.

And they're going after the guy who wasn't even in the friggin plane ? Or responsible for the maintenance of the plane ? Am I the only one to think it is stupid ?


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## beaupower32 (Oct 9, 2009)

Showing my support.


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## B-17engineer (Oct 9, 2009)

Can I use it?


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Oct 9, 2009)

Glad to use it to show my support as well.

Joe I know it is something really small and it probably does not help, but let Doug know that everyone here is behind him.


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## FLYBOYJ (Oct 9, 2009)

DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> Glad to use it to show my support as well.
> 
> Joe I know it is something really small and it probably does not help, but let Doug know that everyone here is behind him.



I have - I sent him the link, don't know if he's seen it yet but I'm sure it will lift his spirits!


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## beaupower32 (Oct 9, 2009)

I am glad to see everyone showing their support. Please give Doug our best wishes.


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## 1wiseash (Jun 15, 2010)

Hi,
I'm an old friend of Doug's, but I've lost touch over the years. Do any of you guys know if Doug was ever vindicated? From what I've read, and from what I remember of Doug, this whole thing is bull.
Thanks in advance for any information you have.
-1WiseAsh


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## evangilder (Jun 15, 2010)

wiseash, you may want to send a PM to flyboyj. He is probably your best resource for info.


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## Condora (Nov 3, 2010)

That's the lamest result of an inquest (or whatever you may call it this absurd thing) I have ever heard.

I notice that the specific reasons for the crash are not stated anywhere, such as aircraft malfunction, bird ingestion, or some other kind of problem. 
Just a "Queen of Hearts-style" proclamation, to chop some head off.
Easy way out for FAA.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if an experienced pilot, a former test pilot and an airport director aren't responsible people, and capable of evaluating risks, location, and safety... who is? 

My support for Guilliss and everybody involved too!


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## Lucke.stz (Nov 3, 2010)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if an experienced pilot, a former test pilot and an airport director aren't responsible people, and capable of evaluating risks, location, and safety... who is? 

I agree with this...


This leave me to thinking why those pilots that shut off a transponder and colide in air with a boieng (killing 155 passengers) here in Brasil wasn´t have their license cancelled to....  very sad...

GOL Airlines Accident Brazil | Legal Resources


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