Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Any pilots here on disability?

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

YourNameHere

REMOVE BEFORE FLIGHT
Joined
Feb 18, 2005
Posts
99
Feds allege 40 pilots lied to fly, get medical certificates
[font=geneva,arial]- By KIM CURTIS, Associated Press Writer
[/font][font=geneva,arial][size=-2]Monday, July 18, 2005
[/size][/font]

(07-18) 15:26 PDT San Francisco (AP) --

An 18-month investigation has resulted in the arrests of 40 Northern California pilots who may have been flying with debilitating illnesses that should have kept them grounded, the U.S. Attorney's office said Monday.

The pilots were receiving disability payments for serious medical conditions while maintaining active pilots' licenses, authorities allege.

All the pilots, including commercial and transport pilots, claimed to be medically fit to fly an airplane while collecting disability payments from the Social Security Administration, said Marlon Cobar, a prosecutor with the U.S. Attorney's office in Fresno.

Illnesses ranged from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to drug and alcohol addiction and heart conditions — all of which would disqualify them from holding a medical certificate, which is necessary to maintain a valid pilot's license.

Other pilots not yet charged were found to be lying about having illnesses in order collect the Social Security payment, Cobar said.

Cobar said the review of 40,000 pilots began in July 2003 as a "Homeland Security project" to look into the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers. When dozens of names turned up in both Social Security and Federal Aviation Administration rolls, "they realized there was probably criminal wrongdoing — either lying to the FAA or wrongfully receiving benefits."

After the review of 40,000 pilots, the FAA immediately revoked 14 pilots' licenses and medical certificates, the U.S. Attorney's office said. Others were referred for administrative revocation.

"We chose the most egregious," Cobar said. "You can't really fly a plane if you're telling the Social Security Administration you have a disabling back condition or bipolar disorder."

FAA spokesman Donn Walker said it was unclear how many of the pilots flew for a living, but that at least a dozen of them held commercial or airline transport licenses.

Thirty pilots are charged with making false statements to a government agency, and 10 pilots are charged with making and delivering a false official writing.
 

Latest resources

Back
Top