Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleOne-time state pilot fired a second time after new ruling
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 | 2 a.m.
The state Department of Transportation looked into complaints by a former state pilot of safety lapses involving Nevada's Cessna Citation, shown in 2006.
Sun Archives
- Pilot’s grounding costing state time, money (8-20-2009)
- Pilot put Gibbons, others in danger (3-11-2009)
- Turbulence on the state plane (11-19-2008)
A former state pilot who raised disturbing allegations about the safety of the state plane’s operation was fired by the Nevada Department of Transportation last week, after a district court judge ruled the agency was within its rights to terminate him.
Judge James Russell found Jim Richardson had violated department safety standards by not immediately reporting that an intern had over-revved the engine of the state’s Cessna Citation. Russell ruled that the Transportation Department was within its rights to fire Richardson.
The court ruling overturned a hearing master’s decision last year that the state had wrongfully fired Richardson.
During last year’s hearing, Richardson argued that he was wrongfully terminated and alleged that the state’s plane was repeatedly operated unsafely by then-Chief Pilot Gary Phillips. Richardson claimed Phillips had almost run out of fuel while flying state officials.
Phillips was demoted, but remains on the job.
Hearing Officer Bill Kockenmeister ruled that Phillips had committed more serious offenses than Richardson and that there was “substantial, reliable and probative evidence” to support Richardson’s allegations.
But Russell ruled the hearing officer should not have compared the two pilots’ cases.
“There is no support for the (hearing officer’s) contention that all state employees must be treated exactly in the same manner,” Russell wrote. “The law simply requires that a state employee receive the benefit of his/her statutory rights.”
Jeff Blanck, Richardson’s attorney, said he was disappointed by the ruling and would appeal it to the Nevada Supreme Court.
Richardson was fired Friday — soon after the ruling came down — from his Transportation Department job, which was unrelated to the state plane, Blanck said.
In the incident at the center of the case, Richardson waited a day before informing his supervisor that the engine was over-revved and met with a union representative before he did so.
Richardson had argued that he was fired for raising safety concerns about a state program in which interns served essentially as co-pilots on flights ferrying state officials among Las Vegas, Carson City and rural areas of the state.
Transportation Department officials said they conducted an internal investigation of Richardson’s allegations but found insufficient evidence. The department argued that Richardson was fired only for the safety violation.
NDOT director Susan Martinovich has maintained that Richardson was fired solely because of concerns about the safe operation of the state plane.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- UNLV can move forward without the burden of losing streak to San Diego State
- A wife’s wisdom shows birth control issue needn’t be divisive
- Surprise links, negotiated deals addressed by commissioners
- Motorcycle accident claims life of man in northeast valley
- Hope and change and … what’s missing?
- New York mayor has the right idea
- We don’t need a CEO in charge
- Paying our own way
- Country has ‘given’ citizens a lot
- Jerry Tarkanian: Mike Moser impresses yet again on a day to remember former Rebel greats
Blogs
The Kats Report
Color from scene at Thomas & Mack: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (4 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Richardson gets what he deserves, money hungry fools. He file all he wants and will get no where with his case. He needs a better Attorney other than Blanck, that guy is an idiot.
Finally...a fellow pilot with some guts! As the former chief pilot aboard a GS-4, I admire this man's guts in doing the right thing. The sad part is, we as pilots are held responsible for ANY safety issues. Typically, the aircraft owner screams pilot error when there is a crash or safety violation. In this case the State was obligated to correct any (and all) conflicts regarding safety in the operation of this aircraft. But this is circumvented by putting pressure on the pilot, we are not to report anything or we won't have a job anymore. This as been aviation's dirt little secret for many years, existing in ALL types of air travel. Only with public out cry, will this problem be addressed.
Again, my hat's off to this Pilot!!!
I agree with Rick556 This sounds like a case of a whistle blower getting axed for bringing up a saftey concern. This is the way the Gibbons administration works, they like to sweep the dirt under the rug. And Gibbons being a former pilot himself should know better !!
Why was State chief pilot Phillips demoted if the state found no evidence of allegations that he allowed his 14 year-old son to fly the state plane and also flew with dangerously low fuel levels? Why is Philliips still flying at all???
This case doesn't pass the smell test! Come on!!!