Navy Does't Have to Release More Records on 1973 Alameda Jet Crash, Judge Rules

A Miami Federal Court judge has turned down a Freedom of Information Act request by former Alameda resident and freelance journalist Theo Karantsalis for more records of a 1973 Navy jet crash that destroyed an Alameda apartment building and killed 11 people, according to an article by Courthouse News Service of Miami, Florida.

Karantsalis had filed suit in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida, to obtain access to all crash-related records that have been redacted and to additional records.

The Navy had filed a motion for summary judgment denying Karantsalis's request, citing privacy concerns of the pilot's surviving family members and "because it would compromise the Navy's aircraft safety process."

The Navy's motion was granted by U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King, who said redacted statements are protected under are protected under Machin v. Zuckert, which grants privilege to "information from private parties ... even once in the hands of the government," and to "conclusions that might be based in any fashion on such privileged information."

Karantsalis had previously written articles about the crash based on Navy records he did receive.

An article published on Alameda Patch on April 18, 2013, detailed some of Karantsalis's work, including the information that the A-7E Corsair jet involved in the crash had a history of malfunctions and maintenance problems.

Karantsalis is a former Island resident and fourth-generation Alamedan who graduated in 1979 from Encinal High School, where he was known as Ted Karas. He now works as a librarian and part-time freelance fournalist in Miami.

The plane that crashed in 1973 was one of two U.S. Navy A-7E Corsair II jet interceptors that were flying together on a routine training flight to Sacramento from the Lemoore Naval Air Station in Fresno.

The impact and ensuing fire destroyed the Tahoe Apartments and spread to three adjacent buildings.

The pilot and ten people on the ground were killed. Over two dozen more were injured.