According to a Summary of a DOT Office of Inspector General investigation, a Nebraska airman was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 16 months imprisonment and 36 months supervised release for submitting a fraudulent statement on an FAA Application for Airmen Medical Certificate. According to the OIG, not only did the airman falsely answer negative to a question regarding his history of non–traffic conviction(s), but he also provided a false social security number and a false date of birth on his application. The airman ultimately pled guilty to making a false statement and agreed to voluntarily surrender his Private Pilot Certificate. He also agreed that he would not apply for any type of FAA certificate during his lifetime.
This sentence would probably be considered extremely severe if the airman had only failed to disclose his non-traffic conviction(s). But, when that failure to disclose is coupled with what appears to be a blatant intention to deceive the FAA by giving a false birth date and social security number, the sentence, although still severe, may be more appropriate. Possibly the worst part of the sentence, the lifetime ban on an applying for an FAA certificate, should be a wake up call for anyone considering playing fast and loose with their answers on an application for medical certificate. With this prosecution and plea deal, the OIG is sending a message regarding its view on falsification cases. The message: If you make false statements, the consequences will be severe.
My advice: Don’t do it.
