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Jennifer Lopez: Death Trap Private Jet Could Have Killed the Diva, Claims Pilot

Posted on Dec 15th 2011 11:15AM by Sarah Chazan
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John Shearer, WireImage

Forget divorce issues, Jennifer Lopez had a far more serious drama in her life ... and she didn't even know it at the time! George Thomsen, an ex-pilot for Crystal Air Aviation has come forward to reveal that the company, which J.Lo frequently charters flights from, put the singer's life in jeopardy by having her fly on a jet unfit to be in the air.

Thomsen was so distraught by the unsafe conditions stars like Lopez, Charlie Sheen and LeBron James were forced to fly in, he left his job after only six weeks. Upon his resignation, he sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detailing the the laundry list of safety issues putting Crystal Air's celeb and non-celeb customers at risk.

The letter, dated Novmber 23, stated that there "were major safety issues by allowing the aircraft to fly." Thomsen also wrote that the airline did not "comply with Federal Aviation Requirements" and that he had proof that the "company continues to operate outside the FAA guide lines."

In an interview with Star Magazine, Thomsen, who is a former FAA safety inspector himself, claims to have uncovered problems with everything from the plane's navigational device to its weather radar and fuel lines. "My whole career of 42 years of flying has been about safety," he said. "These guys for whatever way possible to shortchange training, shortchange maintenance and jeopardize safety. They are jeopardizing safety and lives."

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view2liv4

I highly doubt this pilot knows if the company is violating maintence laws and other FAA violations after only 6 weeks as a pilot there ,.

Sounds like he got fired and this is just BS as payback to his former employer . My brother i a pilot and has flown private jets for celebs for the last 30 years out of Van Nuys Calif and the pilots for these charter companies stick to flying and hours logged and don't get involved with these other issues mentioned .

December 22 2011 at 11:11 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
gracigram

The article read that this man only worked for this company and left after six weeks. So I don't think it has anything to do with if you're famous of not. He observed that what was happening was dead wrong so he's reported on it. Thank God on one was ever hurt. Why does it always have to be because someone was famous. It just happened that this reporter got wind that some famous people flew on this companys planes and reported on it. The reporting is about airline companies who take dangerous shortcuts and endanger human lives. Stop with the poor mans bs.

December 18 2011 at 5:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
geo

WOW . . . What shoddy reporting. The link above in the article doesn't even link to the correct air charter company. It incorrectly links to some tiny little charter company in Tennessee called Crystal Air, which owns a couple of Cessna prop planes, and flies from Chattanooga to Memphis. Lopez's (and the pilot's) gripe is with a much larger, and unrelated, luxury jet charter company based at the Van Nuys, CA airport called Crystal Air Group http://www.crystalairgroup.com/ Hey! Whoever wrote this article, if you're going to accuse an airline charter company of being unsafe, at least get the right one! You're messing around with somebody's business. If I was the little company from Chattanooga, I'd be calling my lawyer.

December 16 2011 at 11:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Victoria

If she reads this she won't be able to fit her head inside a private jet...so she doesn't have to worry.....no, I and, I am sure, many are NOT jealous! I, for one, used to love her, have her earlier recordings, until, I notice, as said before, she has changed....after she married. I always loved her because she was still down to earth, after all of the fame and I thought that was nice...hopefully I am wrong...but I don't like conceited people...she was just like one of the "little people" but, doesn't act like it anymore. :)

December 16 2011 at 10:24 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
goodridenstooyou

it should have crashed

December 16 2011 at 10:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rb7583

It's amazing, this situation only impacted Jennifer Lopez, James, and our ol' bud Sheen!! How is it the regular unanointed people (common folk) would not have been in jeopardy. I guess the common folk would have somehow survived or would not have been hurt at all or is it no one would give a hoot, except those that were killed or their families that is. Articles like this make me ill at how we allow or submit that is to the thought that actors or singers are somehow more worthy of life than the rest.

December 16 2011 at 10:03 AM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
printquick

Sadly this is probably true and goes on in most of the airline companies. I'm sure they would never be tempted to cut corners, skip a small maintenance project or say they did it when they actually didn't. And sadly the article seems to imply that if it weren't for the celebrities, this would never have been mentioned........

December 16 2011 at 9:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to printquick's comment
Victoria

Just being in the headlines, in my opinion, would spark a bit of interest.....you don't have to be a celebrity for that....

December 16 2011 at 10:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
moralglor

Thank God she's ok!!! God bless you JLO!

December 16 2011 at 9:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
brennemanbelkin

Pretty serious charges. I hope he's wrong.

December 16 2011 at 9:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
pwc217

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP THE PRESSES......coulda, shoulds, woulda.....

WTF????? This is an important piece of press....why????

December 16 2011 at 9:36 AM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to pwc217's comment
Victoria

lol

December 16 2011 at 10:32 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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