Australian Peter McDougall, 68, faces charges related to a fatal aircraft accident in late 2021. McDougall is accused of 17 aviation-related offenses, including maintaining an unregistered aircraft since 2011 and refusing to surrender his pilot’s license. The experimental aircraft crashed on a beach shortly after takeoff, killing his 83-year-old passenger. Previous manslaughter charges were dropped in November 2024.
Described by prosecutors as a “sovereign citizen,” McDougall, 68, walked out of a district court committal hearing on May 25, saying, “I can’t participate in this kangaroo court. I’ll bid you all a very good day.” Having refused to apply for bail during the proceedings, he was then arrested on the steps of the Mackay Courthouse in Queensland and returned to the courtroom. His bail was extended and he will face the 17 charges at a later date.
According to news reports, McDougall, who appeared without legal representation, interrupted the committal hearing multiple times, calling Australia’s Civil Aviation Act of 1988 “unlawful,” claiming it applied only to commercial pilots and not operators of experimental aircraft such as the one involved in the accident.
What I want to know is how did this clown get to age 68? And without spending time in prison and or jail?
Didn’t know the Aussie’s had 'em too. Everything described is entirely predictable - except I’ve never heard one say "I’ll bid you all a very good day.”
Now that’s newsworthy!
Sounds like some of the members on this forum…
Sounds like Aussy aviation authorities are as heavy handed as they are on this continent.
It was an experimental aircraft and I assume like us there was a promintly displayed disclaimer indicating the aircraft was not certified and built to govt specifications, (like boeing does it) so does that not cover him from being held liable. Assuming the 83 yr old passenger could read?
I read other comments and assume if you are not willing to put an actual identifiable name to your post you don’t really believe what you are advocating??
I must admit, I have no understanding of the legalities of being a “sovereign citizen”. I was raised to behave, mind my p’s and q’s, be seen and not heard, and do as I’m told. I never knew there was an option to simply say, “I’m taking my ball and going home”.
Society is kind of foisted on us from day one and there isn’t much opportunity in life to say “stop the world from spinning, I want to get off”. It is interesting that some people choose to do exactly that. I wonder if the two old codgers in “Second Hand Lions” were the inspiration here.
Speaking only about US law (and not Australian), it doesn’t say what you think it does. “I warned you with a sign” only suffices for licensees, not invitees. Please search these terms along with “duty of care”.
Nor should you. “Sovereign citizen” does not exist except in the minds of people who believe rules don’t apply to them.
“I wasn’t flying, I was traveling.”
Running fast for the law, I think, is reasonable when someone dies at the hands of another. In this case flying someone when you are not a pilot in an aircraft you maintained (actually he failed at this too) when you are not an approved maintainer deserves to be locked up. Else he will kill someone else.