William Marsan, Aviation Violations, Alaska 2024

Convicted for Aviation Violations

A Palmer man has been convicted for violating multiple aviation regulations. William Marsan, 57, was found guilty of operating an aircraft without a license and without registration.

The incident occurred in June 2023, when Marsan, as the pilot in command of the Piper Cherokee aircraft, failed to radio his intention to take off from Warren “Bud” Woods Palmer Municipal Airport and operated the aircraft against the flow of landing traffic, resulting in a near mid-air collision with another aircraft attempting to land.

Marsan was operating an aircraft without a valid license or valid registration. The investigation revealed that in June 2022, Marsan sent a letter to the FAA revoking the registration of his aircraft. Investigators also discovered that Marsan allowed his medical certificate to lapse in 2020 and 2021, which was required to keep his pilot’s license.

When FAA inspectors contacted him in July 2023 as part of the investigation, Marsan refused to provide his airman certificate, aircraft registration and airworthiness certificates, all of which are requirements through the FAA, and claimed he was not required to have any of those documents.

Marsan was convicted of one count of operating an aircraft without a license and one count of operating an unregistered aircraft. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on one count of operating an aircraft displaying a false aircraft registration mark.

Aviation is a pillar of our state’s transportation infrastructure. Mr. Marsan’s actions flagrantly violated critical aviation regulations designed to safeguard both the industry and those who rely on it,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska.

“The use of unregistered or unauthorized aircraft poses a significant risk to public safety and undermines the integrity of Alaska’s airspace,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and FAA, Alaska Region investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bradley and Mac Caille Petursson are prosecuting the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/pr/palmer-man-guilty-aviation-violations