Pilot Killed in Continental Crash Lived in Carlsbad and Loved to Fly

Capt. Frank Zvonek, one of three crew members killed in the crash of the Continental Airlines DC-9 Sunday in Denver, Colo., was a 43-year-old Carlsbad resident who had devoted his life to flying.

Zvonek’s brother, Joe, of Salt Lake City, said Frank was the youngest of four children. He said he visited his brother in Carlsbad during the strike against Continental Airlines by the Air Line Pilots Assn. about four years ago. During the strike, Frank opened up the Four Z’s Pizza & Pasta House in Encinitas.

“He’d make crazy pizzas,” said his brother. “He busted his butt on that restaurant, but he didn’t make money on it. While on strike, he sold his Buena Park house and bought one in Carlsbad, which seemed a little risky. But he had enough confidence in himself to get back to work, and he had the restaurant.”

Zvonek sold the restaurant in May and continued flying.

He joined Continental Airlines 18 years ago in Los Angeles and logged 12,000 flying hours, a spokeswoman for Continental said at the airline’s corporate headquarters in Houston.

Zvonek learned to fly in the Navy and became a naval flight instructor before he joined Continental Airlines. His brother said he rose to the rank of colonel in the Navy Reserve.

Zvonek is also survived by his wife, Betty; a son, Mark, 9, and a daughter, Melissa, 6, all of Carlsbad; his mother, Katie Zvonek of Medford, Ore., and three sisters, Mary Zvonek of Costa Mesa, Rose Reed of Fullerton and Camillia Pagnini of Medford.

Joe said that, although their mother was concerned about Frank’s safety flying in the Navy, “I didn’t have any real concerns. It’s safer than a salesman traveling around in a car. That’s what Frankie would have said.”