John R81
17th Jan 2018, 07:53
This article (https://plane-lyspoken.com/2018/01/12/its-not-nice-to-fool-the-ntsb/#page=1)talks about a pending prosecution against a private pilot for statements made to NTSB following a crash in 2014, and repetition during an appeal against revocation of his license, which NTSB claim to be "false". Also, they are prosecuting him for piloting an aircraft in December 2015 when his license was revoked earlier that year ( 49 U.S.C. 46306 (b)(7) (http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:49%20section:46306%20edition:prelim)%2 0OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title49-section46306)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true) .
The article also mentions the successful prosecution of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company guilty of attempting to mislead NTSB investigations of the San Bruno, CA, pipeline explosion on September 9, 2010, that killed 8 people, destroyed 38 residences, and damaged 70 others. This successful prosecution was the first time the Department of Justice brought an obstruction of justice case for impeding an NTSB investigation, and the forthcoming prosecution against the private pilot will be the second.
The rule that you should be honest to the NTSB is found here 18 U.S.C. 1505 (http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1505%20edition:prelim)%20 OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1505)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true)
If found guilty, the penalty is up to 5 years in prison, and a fine of US$250,000 per instance of misleading false statement (or US$500,000 for a corporation).
More reason to be truthful in the post-accident enquiry, or (much better) not to have an accident in the first place.
The article also mentions the successful prosecution of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company guilty of attempting to mislead NTSB investigations of the San Bruno, CA, pipeline explosion on September 9, 2010, that killed 8 people, destroyed 38 residences, and damaged 70 others. This successful prosecution was the first time the Department of Justice brought an obstruction of justice case for impeding an NTSB investigation, and the forthcoming prosecution against the private pilot will be the second.
The rule that you should be honest to the NTSB is found here 18 U.S.C. 1505 (http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:18%20section:1505%20edition:prelim)%20 OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title18-section1505)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true)
If found guilty, the penalty is up to 5 years in prison, and a fine of US$250,000 per instance of misleading false statement (or US$500,000 for a corporation).
More reason to be truthful in the post-accident enquiry, or (much better) not to have an accident in the first place.