Summary

On May 12, 2014, the U.S. District Court, Orlando, Florida, sentenced Reginald Sibley to 12 months confinement, 24 months of supervised release, and 25 hours of community service, for making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and flying as a pilot in command of a Gulfstream aircraft without a valid airman certificate. As a special condition of supervised release, Sibley was also ordered to refrain from engaging in any employment related to piloting commercial aircraft.

As part of the FAA certification process, Sibley was required to undergo annual medical examinations to determine his medical fitness as a pilot. On June 1, 2009, Sibley stated on his FAA airmen medical certificate application form he did not have a criminal history, when in fact, he had at least three criminal convictions. The investigation also revealed that on October 8, 2009, Sibley was the pilot in command of a Gulfstream aircraft which departed from the Orlando Executive Airport and landed in California. After landing, Sibley claimed to a FAA representative he was "rated" to fly the Gulfstream aircraft. The FAA informed Sibley it had no record of his "rating" for this kind of aircraft and recommended Sibley not continue to fly the aircraft. Sibley disregarded the FAA and proceeded to board passengers onto the aircraft and fly to another location. The investigation confirmed Sibley was not authorized or "rated" to fly the Gulfstream aircraft.

We investigated this case with assistance from the FAA.