Alaskan pilot who flew with revoked credentials (after near crash) claimed to be Sovereign Citizen, feds say

Palmer pilot who flew with revoked credentials claimed to be ‘free citizen,’ feds say​

Alaska’s U.S. attorney’s office said in a statement Monday that William Marsan, 56, is accused of operating an aircraft without an airman certificate, operating an unregistered aircraft and operating an aircraft displaying a false registration mark. The case began in June of 2023, when the close call involving Marsan’s Piper Cherokee was reported to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“Marsan did not radio his intention to take off from an airport in Palmer and operated the aircraft against the flow of landing traffic, resulting in a near mid-air collision with another aircraft attempting to land,” officials said in the statement.

The FAA’s investigation led it to issue an emergency revocation of Marsan’s pilot certificate in January. Marsan had 10 days to file an appeal, but did not do so.

“Nevertheless, (Marsan) has continued to operate the aircraft without registration, with an obscured identification number, and without a valid pilot certificate through the date of this indictment,” prosecutors wrote.

Palmer pilot accused of flying against air traffic found guilty of aviation violations​

Marsan was convicted of one count of operating an aircraft without an airman certificate and one count of operating an unregistered aircraft.