NTSB Denies Martz's Appeal On License Revocation

An administrative law judge with the National Transportation Safety Board has denied an appeal by 52-year-old pilot David Keith Martz to have his certificate reinstated.

As ANN reported, the FAA revoked it after a video widely circulated on the internet showed Martz on the receiving end of oral sex with a porn star while piloting a helicopter over San Diego in 2005.

The San Diego Tribune reports the latest decision followed a three-hour hearing Tuesday, at which lawyers for Martz argued that any defects in his flying skills had been corrected during a suspension last year for an unrelated incident, and that the video entered in evidence clearly showed he kept his hands on the flight controls.

The FAA argued Martz was careless and reckless in allowing his attention to be diverted from flying, that the woman's position prevented him from reaching flight controls, and that he could have suffered physical harm that would have precluded him from operating the helicopter.

Martz, best known as a frequent pilot for rock drummer Tommy Lee and his band Motley Crew, has a history of enforcement actions dating back over more than two decades. He could still appeal to the full NTSB.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov