Drunk Pilot Convicted of Reckless Endangerment After Drunk Driving Charges Thrown Out: Legislators Move to Enact Drunk-Flying Law

According to MSNBC.com:  "A drunken pilot who buzzed his single-engine plane near a nuclear power plant and crossed the flight paths of six airliners was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison.  John V. Salamone had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent when he landed after an erratic, four-hour flight on Jan. 15 over the Philadelphia region, authorities said. The legal limit for drivers in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.  But Pennsylvania doesn’t have laws concerning drunken flying, and drunken driving charges against Salamone were thrown out. Instead, Salamone was convicted of risking a catastrophe and reckless endangerment. 

After the case garnered attention, lawmakers tried to rectify the legal loophole by passing a bill — now awaiting the governor’s signature — that makes flying drunk over the state a crime.  More . . .   [Mark Godsey]