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Student Pilot Pleads Guilty to Lying to Accident Investigators

View of left wing damage from side. NTSB/FAA
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Key Takeaways:

  • Student pilot Brian Woodhams crashed his Piper Cherokee while landing with his 15-year-old son as a passenger, violating federal regulations for student pilots.
  • Woodhams repeatedly denied his son was in the aircraft to investigators, claiming he was alone at the time of the accident.
  • Despite initial denials, Woodhams eventually entered a guilty plea to making false statements.
  • He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for November 3.
See a mistake? Contact us.

On October 31, 2015, student pilot Brian Woodhams lost control of his Piper Cherokee while landing at the Perry-Warsaw Airport in upstate New York, approximately 60 miles southeast of Buffalo. The aircraft departed the runway and ended up with its nose in a ditch.

Rob Mark

Rob Mark is an award-winning journalist, business jet pilot, flight instructor, and blogger.

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