Investigations

On March 3, 2008, Victor Spankowski was sentenced in U.S. Court, Las Vegas, Nevada, for falsifying his 2002 and his 2004 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Applications for Airman Medical Certificate. Mr. Spankowski was sentenced to 36 months probation, fined $5,000, ordered to pay a special assessment of $100, and, as a special condition, ordered not to pilot an aircraft of any type. The DOT/OIG investigation revealed that during the same time that Mr. Spankowski submitted these medical applications, he also was receiving 100% disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for a medical disorder he failed to disclose on his medical applications. Mr. Spankowski also failed to report that he had been convicted of two nontraffic offenses. In May 2005, Mr. Spankowski voluntarily surrendered his medical certificate to the FAA. Then in June 2005, he surrendered his pilot‘‘s license during an interview with DOT/OIG agents. In spite of this, on May 24 and June 16, 2007, Mr. Spankowski operated an aircraft without a current medical certificate and pilot‘‘s license. After learning of these illegal flights, an indictment was filed on July 25, 2007, along with a Federal arrest warrant. He was subsequently arrested on August 13, 2007, at his residence in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Both incidents were referred to FAA for action, and FAA subsequently assessed Mr. Spankowski a civil penalty of $4,000 for violating FAA regulations. This investigation was conducted with FAA‘‘s assistance.