Uncertified Flight Instructor Sentenced to Prison Following Fatal Crash

Philip Everton McPherson II received six and a half years behind bars for involuntary manslaughter.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, June 16, 2026 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The Piper Cherokee that crashed September 28, 2022, in Pennsylvania was largely destroyed in a postcrash fire. [Credit: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

Flight instructor Philip McPherson was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and other charges after a 2022 fatal crash that killed his student.
McPherson's pilot certificates had been revoked for "lack of demonstrated competence," yet he continued to operate as a flight instructor with passengers despite failing a reexamination and having his temporary certificate expire.
The fatal accident occurred during takeoff when the aircraft, experiencing "noticeably weak" engine power, struggled to climb and crashed into trees. The flight school owner was also convicted of conspiracy for allowing McPherson to instruct illegally.

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A New Jersey flight instructor involved in a fatal aircraft accident after he had his pilot certificates revoked for a “lack of demonstrated competence” has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison.

As previously reported by FLYING, 37-year-old Philip Everton McPherson II in 2025 pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and other charges stemming from a 2022 crash that killed a flight student. McPherson pleaded guilty to 43 of the 44 charges he faced in exchange for the U.S. government agreeing to withdraw one count of conspiracy to defraud the FAA. These counts stemmed from serving as an airman without a valid certificate.