Summary

On May 6, 2013, in U.S. District Court, Charlotte, North Carolina, Michael Graham pleaded guilty to false statements in connection with his submission of a false Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical form to obtain his student pilot certificate.

Our investigation revealed that Graham did not disclose his criminal history, medical history, or current medications on FAA Form 8500-8, Application for Airman Medical Certificate. Subsequently, the Aviation Medical Examiner approved him for a student pilot certificate using the false information that he provided. During flight instruction, instructors became concerned about Graham's behavior and notified the FAA of their concerns.