Misdemeanor Convictions May Cost Rigs 60 Days In Jail

Pilot David Riggs, who lost his pilot certificate last year over what officials described as a "buzz job" of the Santa Monica Pier in California, was sentenced Monday by a California Superior Court to 60 days in jail, 36 months probation, and a $900 fine in connection with the incident. He must also perform 60 days community service cleaning up Santa Monica Beach.

Riggs was convicted of willfully and unlawfully operating an aircraft in a manner that endangered the lives and property of others.

The Kansas City Business Journal reports that it wasn't the stiffest penalty the judge could have handed down. He could have been sentenced to six months and a $1,000 fine.

Riggs was charged with flying too low over the Santa Monica pier at over 250 knots in a Czech-built Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros as part of a stunt to promote an unfinished movie, as well as performing low-level aerobatics over a populated area. A second pilot, Skip Holm, was also part of the formation, and a third airplane was towing a banner promoting the movie. A story in the LA Times reported that Riggs said there was no danger because the aircraft were well maintained and flown by a skilled pilot. He also contended that some witnesses were unclear on whether it was he or Holm who was flying the plane which performed the maneuvers.

L-39 Three View

The stunt, which occurred in November 2008, was an effort to generate a different kind of "buzz" for a movie called "Kerosene Cowboys." The FAA almost immediately revoked Riggs' pilot certificate, but on March 17th of last year, an administrative law judge modified that revocation order to a 210 day suspension, and it was recently reinstated.

In an e-mail exchanged forwarded to ANN, Riggs said that the case was less about him and more about an attempt to ban jets from Santa Monica Airport (KSMO), a fact he says was cited at least three times in open court. He also states that he feels he is a "fall guy" for "the fact that the FAA has been kicking the city of SM for years." There is also some concern among pilots who operate out of KSMO that the city's ability to successfully prosecute Riggs on civil criminal charges for an aviation-related incident may set a precedent for future prosecutions nationwide.

RMI: www.lasuperiorcourt.org