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PILOT SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR LYING ON MEDICAL APPLICATION

sj

Staff member
Northwest Arkansas
From the AOPA E-Pilot. As my AME friend says, "The truth shall set you free".

PILOT SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR LYING ON MEDICAL APPLICATION
Ronald Crews was sentenced on March 20 to 16 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty in 2007 to four counts of making false statements to a federal agency, according to the District of Massachusetts U.S. Attorney's Office. Crews had lied to the FAA about his diabetes and dependence on insulin injections. The charges resulted from an investigation into a February 2002 incident in which a passenger, who happened to be a student pilot, landed the Cessna 402 Crews was flying for an air taxi flight after he suffered a diabetic seizure. "While this type of incident is extremely rare, it is a strong warning to all pilots," said Andy Cebula, AOPA executive vice president of government affairs. Read more about the incident on AOPA Online.
 
Now if we could just return the favor and send the same message to all the politicians who make false statements we would be getting somewhere.
 
Ditto to what Gambler1D said!!!!

This country is getting overrun with regulations covering everything....but WAIT....it's for the betterment of the people.

On a side note. That was a definite NO-NO!! But it also shows you that the medical-certification process really doesn't help much. Okay, flame away...I'm ducking in a hole.
 
An AME friend of mine once told me that there are only a tiny number of incidents of medical incapacitation leading to an accident, one argument is that this means the system is working - the other is that we don't need the system since the likelihood is small.

If I am correct, the original flag the FAA (and others) were looking for was people who were on disability but still had a medical by not reporting their condition to the AME, or lying about their disability.

sj
 
I wonder if the jail time was for his "Mis-statement" or for operating the aircraft while knowing he was not medically qualified.....
 
As I remember this pilot had a significant insulin dependence and had cheated on his medical several times knowing he couldn't pass. During the flight in question he was operating a Cessna twin on a 135 flight and became incapacitated. Fortunately a student pilot with something like 40 hours TT was able to land the plane, gear up, but safely enough that nobody was injured.

If that was my family on that 135 flight I'd be pissed the pilot didn't get more time. I had a pilot friend who cheated on his medicals in the same way. I never thought much of it until I was with him (not in a plane) when he experienced diabetic shock. It was scary. Had he been flying there's no way he could have continued piloting the plane. The onset was very rapid and there was no pre-indication.

Feel free to continue whining about crooked politicians now. It has nothing to do with the topic, though.

Stewart
 
Eaa used the very low incidence of medical related accidents to help get sport pilots driver license medicals.
 
WWhunter said:
Ditto to what Gambler1D said!!!!

This country is getting overrun with regulations covering everything....but WAIT....it's for the betterment of the people.

On a side note. That was a definite NO-NO!! But it also shows you that the medical-certification process really doesn't help much. Okay, flame away...I'm ducking in a hole.

Did you really think we want those laws observed? said Dr. Ferris. We want them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be
much easier to deal with.

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, 1957
 
Crooked politicians have the same effect on people, they do in effect often destroy citizens lives. If you fly for hire a medical is important, flying for oneself medicals are an infringement. They do relate in that the Gov. wants to control everyone but themselves.
 
The media will paint something like this with a very broad brush and find a way to spread fear among the general public. Sounds like a case of the good 'ol boy AME giving a wink and a nod on the medical. Isn't the urine test the first check on diabetes?
 
I think Stewart makes a good point. There are violations and then there are egregious violations. The reason that this guy was hammered was that his violation was egregious, AND he took other people's lives in his hands, risking THEIR lives as well as his own.

By the way, a few lying politicians DO get put in jail... Consider Vietnam ace Randy Cunningham.

A society with NO rules, NO regulations is going to be in chaos really quick.

Government puts rules in place because PEOPLE demand them. If nobody stands up to those proposals, they may get something passed that should never have been passed. Rather than P and M about these things on the internet, GET INVOLVED. Write letters, comment on NPRM's, etc.

There are a heck of a lot of laws, regulations, and policies on the books that never should have gotten there, but nobody stood up and said BAD IDEA when they were being proposed.

We can't create a totally safe environment or society by legislation, but we also can't have a functional society without regulations, laws and policies. That's the conundrum of a free society.

Government in and of itself is not evil, but there may be evil people IN government. More often, I think the problems are greed and a lack of accurate information. It's still up to the people to put em in office, and/or remove them from office.

Jeeeeezzzzz, that'll get me fried.....standing by for R and R..... :peeper

MTV
 
Cub junkie said:
The media will paint something like this with a very broad brush and find a way to spread fear among the general public. Sounds like a case of the good 'ol boy AME giving a wink and a nod on the medical. Isn't the urine test the first check on diabetes?

The way diabetics cheat on their physicals is to carry a bottle of somebody else's pee into the bathroom for the purpose of submitting it as their own. That means somebody else assisted them. That's another issue in itself. Would you pee in a bottle if a friend asked you to?

Before you go off on the big corrupt government speech, consider that the government has provided us a way to fly without a medical. They know there is no significant threat in self-certification of private pilot's health. The limitations they've placed on Sport Pilot certificates seem like a reasonable compromise to me.

Stewart
 
StewartB said:
Cub junkie said:
The media will paint something like this with a very broad brush and find a way to spread fear among the general public. Sounds like a case of the good 'ol boy AME giving a wink and a nod on the medical. Isn't the urine test the first check on diabetes?

The way diabetics cheat on their physicals is to carry a bottle of somebody else's pee into the bathroom for the purpose of submitting it as their own. That means somebody else assisted them. That's another issue in itself. Would you pee in a bottle if a friend asked you to?

Before you go off on the big corrupt government speech, consider that the government has provided us a way to fly without a medical. They know there is no significant threat in self-certification of private pilot's health. The limitations they've placed on Sport Pilot certificates seem like a reasonable compromise to me.

Stewart

Send me $100 in unmarked single bills and I will mail you some pee :bunny
 
Some people might think that's funny. I'm not one of them. I take my medical exams honestly, I don't fly within 8 hours of consuming alcohol, and I don't fly while taking unapproved medication. Compliance with those rules has never been inconvenient for me. What others do is unimportant to me, unless they're licensed to operate commercial flights. Then it's everybody's business.

Stewart
 
StewartB said:
Some people might think that's funny. I'm not one of them. I take my medical exams honestly, I don't fly within 8 hours of consuming alcohol, and I don't fly while taking unapproved medication. Compliance with those rules has never been inconvenient for me. What others do is unimportant to me, unless they're licensed to operate commercial flights. Then it's everybody's business.

Stewart
Since you are quoting my post Stewart I'm not sure if you are just answering my question on the urine test or if you think I will "go off" on a tirade over our government. At my AME's office they check the temperature of the urine right after you donate. I make my living with my medical and take one every six months and my doc. has always gone by the book. I do know of one in my area that was issuing medicals almost through a drive through window. He was caught and shut down. I personally never went to the man but heard plenty of stories. Should I have reported him on hearsay? I know he did commercial pilots.
 
FTR, I was answering your question. The rest was just general conversation.

Stewart
 
I'm with Mike and Stewart here, except that I think a civil fine and a revocation would probably be better for all concerned, including the taxpayers paying the jailer.

With that said, my flight physicals will all henceforth be immediately preceded by a physical from my family doctor in the next office. It is surely less dangerous to the public to fly a light Cub than it is to drive an old Mustang Convertible on the freeway under the same medical condition.

Things are different when you are flying for hire - the guy deserved a 10K fine - but not a jail term. Opinion.
 
mvivion said:
There are a heck of a lot of laws, regulations, and policies on the books that never should have gotten there, but nobody stood up and said BAD IDEA when they were being proposed.

Nonsense, a lot of people stood up to a lot of the laws, regulations and policies and said BAD IDEA, but they get passed anyway. Are you saying that all these get passed unanimously??? "Nobody stood up..."

mvivion said:
Government in and of itself is not evil
-- Mike Vivion

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
-- Thomas Paine

government is not a necessary good but an unavoidable evil
-- Lyn Nofziger

The essence of government is force, and most often that force is used to accomplish evil ends.
-- Walter Williams

The more numerous the laws, the more corrupt the government.
-- Tacitus

Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem.
-- Ronald Reagan

I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to improve it is largely a waste of time
-- Henry Mencken

Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have .... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.
-- Thomas Jefferson

That government is best which governs not at all
-- Henry David Thoreau

Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
-- George Washington
 
That government is best which governs not at all
-- Henry David Thoreau

Before you get all warm and fuzzy feeling about the idea of no government at all, go check out how great it is in Albania or Iraq. No effective government, no rule of law, completely nuts.
 
pa12_pilot said:
That government is best which governs not at all
-- Henry David Thoreau

Before you get all warm and fuzzy feeling about the idea of no government at all, go check out how great it is in Albania or Iraq. No effective government, no rule of law, completely nuts.

I posted these to illustrate the difference between the philosophy of some of the greatest thinkers in history and Mike Vivion's.

My own philosophy is closer to Washington's and Reagan's. And I believe that a good chunk of what the FAA does is blatantly unconstitutional and therefore illegal (not all of it though).
 
Christina- Even though we’ve disagreed vehemently on a several economic policies, I find myself in a conundrum. I really don’t want to agree but find your argument to be compelling. Perhaps us agreeing :luv2: will be one step closer to us going on that HOT date?

That said, sorry Mike for cutting bait and running from a friend in an alley fight. I still agree with 99.99% of what you’ve ever said. And I still think you’re a great guy… but she’s just so much better lookin’ then you!

Lippy
 
FYI, the first test isn't a pee test for diabetes. It's your A1C - kind of a average of your blood sugar levels over the last 3 months. That's a blood draw and it's usually done on the spot with results in minutes.
 
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