"Andrew Kyle White, 37, pleaded guilty in Los Angeles federal court to a felony count of theft of government property and a misdemeanor count of illegal entry into a naval installation. As part of his plea, he agreed to give up and not renew his pilot's license. White admitted that he landed his single-engine plane on an airstrip on the island without the Navy's permission for the first time in October 2023."
"Despite signing a letter that warned him against landing on the island again and acknowledging that he could be charged with a federal crime if he did so, he landed on the island a second time in April, according to his plea agreement. After the second landing, White abandoned his plane, drove off in a Navy pickup truck, broke through at least one locked gate and spent a night on the island."
A 37-year-old San Diego man pleaded guilty in federal court to theft of government property and illegal entry after two unauthorized landings on San Clemente Island. He admitted landing a single-engine plane on the island airstrip in October 2023, received a warning letter, then landed again in April and abandoned the plane. He drove off in a Navy pickup, breached at least one locked gate and spent a night on the island, triggering a lockdown and search. The incident endangered personnel, degraded military readiness and cost the Department of Defense roughly 500 man-hours and $500,000. He agreed to surrender and not renew his pilot's license.
#unauthorized-aircraft-landing #san-clemente-island #theft-of-government-property #pilot-license-revocation
Read at www.sandiegouniontribune.com
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