Under California law, the board now has six days to decide whether to file a formal accusation of "pilot negligence," a move that seemed likely. That could lead to sanctions or the revocation of Cota's license.
Cota was on board the cargo ship, advising its captain, at the time of the collision. The U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board haven't finished their investigations, but Cota is under fire because as the pilot on the bridge of the ship, his job was to provide critical advice about local conditions to the captain. "The probability of us filing an accusation is very likely," said Capt. Patrick Moloney, executive director of the state Board of Pilot Commissioners.