United States prosecutors announced criminal charges on Tuesday against 40 aircraft pilots suspected of lying about potentially dangerous illnesses ranging from schizophrenia to drug addiction.
The pilots were charged after a comparison of Social Security disability benefits and Federal Aviation Administration paperwork showed they had lied about being well enough to be trusted in aircraft cockpits, officials said.
”They are potentially a danger if they have a serious condition and are flying an airplane,” said Luke Macauley of the US Department of Justice.
”And, they are lying on documents in order to obtain a pilot’s license. It is a two-pronged concern,” he added.
The majority of those indicted were only licensed to fly private jets, but some earned their livings shuttling people or cargo through the skies, according to Macauley.
At least one of thes accused flyers was a commercial passenger jet pilot, and another was a retired commercial pilot, according to federal officials.
Medical conditions hidden by the pilots — who were aged between 25 to 71 — from the FAA included weak hearts, alcoholism, manic-depression, schizophrenia and back injuries, investigators reported
The accused pilots, all but one of whom are based in northern California, have received summonses to appear in court to answer charges of filing fraudulent documents with US aviation’s controlling body.
The charges carry punishment by five years in prison or $250 000, or both, according to Patty Pontello of the US Attorney’s Office in the California state capital of Sacramento.
Pontello referred said the situation represented ”a safety concern” and that what the pilots were doing was ”some kind of a scam”.
Applications for FAA pilot licenses ask whether people have ever had serious medical conditions, according to federal officials.
However, no instances of actual unsafe flying were alleged. The FAA said it has revoked 14 pilots’ licenses and notified the other 26 that their licenses be suspended. – Sapa-AFP