Local News in Brief : Small-Plane Pilot Cleared in Crash
The pilot of a small plane who violated restricted airspace seconds after the Aug. 31, 1986, midair collision of an Aeromexico jetliner and another small plane was dismissed Tuesday as a defendant in about 25 lawsuits filed after the crash.
U.S. District Judge David V. Kenyon ruled that pilot Roland Paul Furman of Fullerton did not endanger the two planes that collided over Cerritos, near where Furman was flying.
Based on Federal Aviation Administration records, Kenyon found that air traffic controllers became aware of Furman’s presence several seconds after the collision in which 82 people died.
The FAA nonetheless eventually ordered that Furman give up his pilot’s license for 120 days for allegedly entering the Los Angeles terminal control area in which the collision occurred.
Furman’s attorney, Stephen L. Nelson, said his client has resumed flying after serving his suspension.
More to Read
More to Read
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
