57-Year-Old Guilty of Flying an Unregistered Aircraft Without a License

A 57-year-old man from Palmer, Alaska was convicted on December 4 after nearly causing a mid-air collision last year. He was found guilty of operating an unregistered aircraft, and flying it without a pilot's license.

The charges stem from an incident in June 2023. 57-year-old William Marsan allegedly took off from Palmer Airport (PAQ) in his personal Piper Cherokee without receiving clearance from the control tower. He headed towards a group of aircraft set up for landing, nearly running into one.

Marsan had owned and run an aviation business for almost 30 years, so it’s not like he was new to the flying scene. He had also let his medical certification expire, making it illegal for him to act as pilot in command, and canceled his Cherokee’s registration several years prior.

Shortly after the incident, an FAA inspector reached out to Marsan to check his documents. Marsan reportedly responded that he was a “free citizen” and didn’t need to have valid documents. Inspectors noted that his aircraft’s tail number was partially covered by stickers, with one having “the appearance of the flag,” they stated.

Prosecutors later revealed that Marsan didn’t submit an appeal when his pilot’s license was revoked in January, but instead began to fly without one. He continued to do so until July, when he was arrested.

Marsan’s case was brought to court early this month. He represented himself in the three-day trial, claiming that he has “flown planes over 23,000 hours in Alaska over the last 28 years without a single man or woman harmed by my actions.”

Unsurprisingly, the jury found him guilty of both operating an aircraft without a license and operating an unregistered aircraft. The third count, operating an aircraft displaying a false aircraft registration mark, was not a unanimous verdict. The court issued an order for his release pending sentencing, clarifying that he cannot fly or go within a quarter mile of the Palmer Airport.

Marsan will be sentenced on April 2. He now faces a $250,000 maximum fine and up to three years in the can per count.

FMI: www.palmerairport.com