Must Also Forfeit His Helicopter After Falsifying N-Number On The Aircraft

The third time was not a charm for a helicopter owner and pilot who must surrender his aircraft and stop flying for two years in a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors.

William Stokely, a 69-year-old businessman from Oklahoma who lives part time in Flagstaff, AZ, drew the attention of the Department of Homeland Security when it was noticed that he was filling up gas cans and leaving them in the desert. An investigation found that the "Q" in the registration number of his aircraft had been changed to an "O" through the use of black electrical tape, which led to the discovery that Stokely did not have a valid airman's certificate.

The Associated Press reports that Stokely, a self-described "explorer," said through his attorney Colin Campbell that he placed fuel in the desert so that he could "fly light" and refuel quickly if needed. Campbell added that he had placed the tape over the tail of the "Q" in the registration number when he was cleaning his aircraft, and did not remove it entirely.

This is not the first revocation of flying privileges for Stokely. He has had his ticket pulled twice before over the past 25 years. The first was in 1990 ... three years after he first earned it ... for reckless operation of an aircraft and flying too closely to another aircraft at a low altitude. He was reinstated in 1991, but was again revoked in 2008 after failing an FAA exam. He applied for and was granted a student pilot certificate that year, which expired in 2010 after he did not satisfactorily pass a series of flight tests. He was denied a medical last year.

Stokely pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of displaying a false or misleading tail number on his aircraft and agreed to forfeit the helo to the government. By doing so, he avoided a felony conviction.  If he abides by the terms of the plea agreement, a second charge of operating an aircraft without a valid airman's certificate will be dropped.

Campbell described Stokley as a successful businessman who owns Stokely Events Center in Tulsa, OK, as well as an outdoor advertising company. The attorney said he's taken responsibility for his actions, and is "looking forward to getting this all behind him."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.azd.uscourts.gov