Pilot Gets Prison Time For Obstructing Accident Investigation - AVweb

Stan Cooper

Stan Cooper

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Stan Cooper
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Don't try to lie your way out of taking responsibility for an accident that resulted in a fatality.

https://www.avweb.com/flight-safety...ructing-accident-investigation/?MailingID=446

A pilot has been sentenced to a year in prison for lying to federal investigators following the August 2014 crash of a Ryan Navion A during a Part 135 sightseeing flight near Coldfoot, Alaska. The instrument-rated commercial pilot, identified as Forest Kirst, and three passengers were seriously injured in the accident. One passenger died of his injuries 35 days after the crash.
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Wow, he sure couldn't keep his story straight!
 
Makes me wonder what else was going on. No rational person tells conflicting stories like that.
 
Palmpilot said:
Wow, he sure couldn't keep his story straight!
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Right; first a sudden downdraft, then an incapacitated passenger slumped against the control wheel, and finally a prop blade separation. Talk about grasping at straws. I think suing the prop manufacturer was probably the clincher.
 
Given the number of crashes and busted check rides, you'd think he'd had practice lying effectively.
 
You know how we Navion pilots are :)
 
I thought is was a lot harder to get a part 135 certificate.
 
I have flown with some military aviators over the years, the pre takeoff briefing was 'if we have to evacuate this plane, you go out through this door, I go out through that door and we meet 100m behind the aircraft to get our stories straight for the trial board'.

While you have to talk to the NTSB/FAA as part of the investigation, you dont have to talk to them right then and there. Airline pilots and commercial operators are usually represented by an attorney or a union rep when they make their statement to the investigators. Any pilot would probably be well advised to get representation, and if its just to stop them from rambling on with fish stories.
 
Yet it worked for the Las Vegas bravo guy....
 
weilke said:
While you have to talk to the NTSB/FAA as part of the investigation, you dont have to talk to them right then and there. Airline pilots and commercial operators are usually represented by an attorney or a union rep when they make their statement to the investigators. Any pilot would probably be well advised to get representation, and if its just to stop them from rambling on with fish stories.
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I witnessed an incident within the company years ago. The chief pilot wrote my statement for me to give to the FAA inspector.

B-99 started up and hit the start cart. With the wing tip, not the prop. Totally lame.
 
MooneyDriver78 said:
A year? Probably out in 3 months on good behavior.
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It's federal time. There is not much discount for good behavior. If he received 1 year 1 day, he'll serve about 85% of that. If he got 1 year even, he will serve 100% of that (good time only on sentences >1 year).

Unless he did something before that makes him ineligible, he is going to end up at a minimal security facility (club fed), not in the big house.
 
weilke said:
Unless he did something before that makes him ineligible, he is going to end up at a minimal security facility (club fed), not in the big house.
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My first thought when I read the article. A one year vacation including use of the tennis court, weight room, library, free health plan including dental and vision, and a dietary healthy meal plan. All courtesy of the tax payers.

I once worked with a guy that got 1 year for possession and distribution. His time in jail was 6am Saturday mornings to 6am Monday mornings, leaving the rest of the time to go to his college classes and work. Graduating was part of the judges order. If he did not graduate he would have had to spend 6 months in county. He said it actually worked in his favor. He had all day Saturday and Sunday to study without interruptions.
 
Zeldman said:
I once worked with a guy that got 1 year for possession and distribution. His time in jail was 6am Saturday mornings to 6am Monday mornings, leaving the rest of the time to go to his college classes and work. Graduating was part of the judges order. If he did not graduate he would have had to spend 6 months in county. He said it actually worked in his favor. He had all day Saturday and Sunday to study without interruptions.
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Federal ?

That sounds like a typical 'drug court' deal at the local level.
 
Doc Holliday said:
Sounds like yet another Zeldman tall tale........:rolleyes:
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I dont doubt the veracity of the story as it would be a typical deal that local judges make in drug cases. I had a druggie break into my office. Sheriffs deputy responding to the burglar alarm caught the guy after a car and foot chase. He got 18 months with work release after 3 (ended up serving 18 months inside the county jail as he wasn't great on the 'sticking to rules' part of work release).

Its just that it doesn't have much bearing on what happens with a federal conviction. While the feds keep pre-trial customers in local jails, the actual sentence is served in a federal facility. And federal 'good time' is very limited, iirc 2 days per month served and it only starts tolling if the sentence is at least a year. So impeding the investigation is probably going to buy him a 11 months to a year of actual confinement, even if that may be at a 'prison camp' rather than inside of the actual FCI.
 
Zeldman said:
My first thought when I read the article. A one year vacation including use of the tennis court, weight room, library, free health plan including dental and vision, and a dietary healthy meal plan. All courtesy of the tax payers.

I once worked with a guy that got 1 year for possession and distribution. His time in jail was 6am Saturday mornings to 6am Monday mornings, leaving the rest of the time to go to his college classes and work. Graduating was part of the judges order. If he did not graduate he would have had to spend 6 months in county. He said it actually worked in his favor. He had all day Saturday and Sunday to study without interruptions.
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Wasn’t my cousin Vinnie, was it?
 
weilke said:
I dont doubt the veracity of the story as it would be a typical deal that local judges make in drug cases. I had a druggie break into my office. Sheriffs deputy responding to the burglar alarm caught the guy after a car and foot chase. He got 18 months with work release after 3 (ended up serving 18 months inside the county jail as he wasn't great on the 'sticking to rules' part of work release).

Its just that it doesn't have much bearing on what happens with a federal conviction. While the feds keep pre-trial customers in local jails, the actual sentence is served in a federal facility. And federal 'good time' is very limited, iirc 2 days per month served and it only starts tolling if the sentence is at least a year. So impeding the investigation is probably going to buy him a 11 months to a year of actual confinement, even if that may be at a 'prison camp' rather than inside of the actual FCI.
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"...customers..." lol. I used to work with a couple Controllers serving sentences and on work release. It wasn't just weekends. They'd get out of the joint, do a shift, and go back daily.
 
In serious issues, don’t talk to law enforcement from any agency without an attorney present. Basic advice. They are not talking to you to help you and will often twist whatever is said in the most damaging unreasonable way possible. Just don’t do it - despite the strong feeling of wanting to.
 
weilke said:
It's federal time. There is not much discount for good behavior. If he received 1 year 1 day, he'll serve about 85% of that. If he got 1 year even, he will serve 100% of that (good time only on sentences >1 year).

Unless he did something before that makes him ineligible, he is going to end up at a minimal security facility (club fed), not in the big house.
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The biggest problem realistically is the felony record which prohibits certain professions and is a serious impediment to most employment.
 
From the article it does appear this guy was a dangerous pilot and bad actor. Often this type does not seem to know or be able to follow the policy of only speaking with an attorney present.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
In serious issues, don’t talk to law enforcement from any agency without an attorney present. Basic advice. They are not talking to you to help you and will often twist whatever is said in the most damaging unreasonable way possible. Just don’t do it - despite the strong feeling of wanting to.
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Especially if you’re gonna lie.
 
PeterNSteinmetz said:
The biggest problem realistically is the felony record which prohibits certain professions and is a serious impediment to most employment.
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I dont think a felony record is much an impediment to getting work as a pilot in Alaska. He probably wouldn't be able to get a license as a barber or accountant, but as long as the FAA gives him his commercial ticket (back), he'll have work.
 
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