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CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES

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A federal administrative law judge has upheld the government’s decision to revoke the pilot’s license of a veteran aviator who flew in a July 4 celebration in Tehachapi that ended with the fatal crash of a vintage Soviet military jet.

Patrick Geraghty, a judge with the National Transportation Safety Board, ruled late Monday in an appeal by Douglas E. Gilliss of Solana Beach, a former Air Force pilot and Vietnam War veteran with years of aviation experience.

Gilliss was one of several pilots who participated in a formation flyover of three Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfins. One L-29 fell out of formation and crashed, killing David Zweigle, 42,the city’s airport director; and Robert Chamberlain, 63, of Morrison, Colo., a former Air Force test pilot.

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-- Dan Weikel

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