Drunken pilot who buzzed nuke plant gets 6-23 months in jail

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/103-11302004-408881.html

NORRISTOWN, Pa. - A drunken pilot who buzzed his plane near a nuclear power plant and came near six commercial airliners was sentenced to six to 23 months in prison on Tuesday.

John V. Salamone had a blood alcohol level of 0.15 percent when he landed the plane after an erratic, four-hour flight on Jan. 15 over the Philadelphia region, authorities said. The legal limit for pilots, set by the Federal Aviation Administration, is 0.04 percent, half the amount for drivers in Pennsylvania.

Salamone, 44, of Pottstown, who faced up to nine years in prison, must also serve five years probation and undergo alcohol counseling, a Montgomery County judge ordered.

Salamone, flying a single-engine Piper Cherokee, meandered into New Jersey and flew into forbidden airspace. He flew as low as 100 feet and within a quarter mile of the Limerick nuclear power plant, officials said.

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This guy is damn lucky his name was not Mohammad. He would be in a cage in Cuba right now if it were.

[Lerkfish]

1. I wouldn't defend this guy, though...

flying while drunk is a disaster waiting to happen.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Defending him? I think he should have got 10 years or more n/t

[Bono71]

3. File this story under the "What a complete moron" file.

[Lerkfish]

6. sorry, didn't mean to imply YOU were defending him...just that *I* wouldn'

sorry for the lack of clarity.

[OneTwentyoNine]

4. Hell,he should do 23 months on the drunk charge,then add on more..

For buzzing a damn nuclear plant. Six months isn't enough for that clown...

[tired of bush]

5. .04?

I can't beleive its legal to fly with a .04 blood alcohol level...remember that next time you get on a plane...I always assumed that 0.000 was the only acceptable level for pilots.

[malachi]

7. His name doesn't have to be Mohammad. If he had a deep tan

his would be in Cuba as soon as they took him out of his plane. I thought ashcroft has made us safe from this kind of event? If this drunken momo could pull off a stunt like this, how hard would it be for a determined individual to do some real damage?

[TahitiNut]

8. This guy successfully flew and landed with a BAC of 0.15???

Wow! Sign him up and send him to Afghanistan!