Texas Man Indicted for Flying Without a License

Hal Tom, Jr. was indicted on September 23 by the U.S. District Court in Oxford, Miss., for knowingly and willfully operating a Cessna 182 on a flight from Texas to New Jersey without a valid airman’s certificate. During the flight, Tom ran the aircraft out of fuel and crashed near Clarksdale, Miss., damaging the aircraft’s right wing. After improperly refueling the aircraft, Tom continued the flight to New Jersey despite the damage to the aircraft’s right wing. The FAA’s investigation determined that Tom had once possessed an airman certificate, but that it had been revoked because he made false statements related to an alcohol offense.