Story ID: 
Falcon 900 Accident Inquiry Reveals Non-certified PIC
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: The pilot-in-command of a Falcon 900EX EASy that crashed in February 2021 had his certificates revoked two years earlier for records falsification.
Word Count: 251
A pilot with a revoked FAA airman certificate was serving as pilot-in-command of a Dassault Falcon 900EX EASy when it crashed off the end of the runway at San Diego Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport after he was unable to obtain rotation during takeoff. The aircraft was substantially damaged in the Feb. 13, 2021 accident, but all six occupants escaped without injury.
According to the NTSB's recently published final report, the pilot flying did not hold any pilot certificates at the time of the accident because they had been revoked in February 2019 due to falsification of logbook data. While employed as a check pilot for a Part 135 operator, he falsified logbook entries and records for pilot proficiency checks, competency checks, and training events on 15 separate occasions.
Additionally, he had never held a type rating for the accident airplane—about a year before the accident he had started, but not completed, training in the model. While the first officer had logged about 16 flight hours in the Falcon 900EX EASy, he was not authorized to serve as pilot-in-command.
The unauthorized flight crew attempted to take off with the airplane 2,975 pounds over mtow, a center of gravity close to the most forward limit, and an incorrect stabilizer trim setting. Further, the captain attempted takeoff at a rotation speed 23 knots slower than the calculated rotation speed at mtow. These factors resulted in the runway being nearly 600 feet shorter than the distance required for takeoff.