Illegal CFI Faces Charge of Involuntary Manslaughter

Lapsed and noncertificated instructor crashed a Piper in 2022, killing the student aboard.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, August 09, 2024 at 01:00 PM ET

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Meg Godlewski

Philip Everton McPherson II faces one count of involuntary manslaughter for the crash of the Piper PA-28-140 on September 28, 2022, that killed student pilot Keith Kozel, 49. [AVweb]

Key Takeaways:

Flight instructor Philip Everton McPherson II was indicted for involuntary manslaughter and 40 counts of operating without a certificate following a fatal crash that killed his student pilot.
McPherson had surrendered his commercial and CFI certificates over a year before the accident after failing an FAA reexamination ride due to poor airmanship.
Despite being legally unauthorized and holding only a temporary certificate prohibiting passengers, McPherson continued to act as a flight instructor leading up to the fatal incident.
The case underscores the critical importance for students to verify their flight instructor's credentials, as unauthorized instruction led to severe consequences.

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Have you checked your CFI’s credentials? How do you know they are legal to provide instruction?

This question is being asked at flight schools across the country as the CFI world and the nonaviation media are sharing the story of 36-year-old Philip Everton McPherson II, from Haddon Township, New Jersey. McPherson faces one count of involuntary manslaughter for the crash of the Piper PA-28-140 on September 28, 2022, that killed student pilot Keith Kozel, 49.