‘Free Citizen’ Alaskan Pilot Convicted Of Flying Without Certificate
William Marsan faces up to three years in jail for federal convictions.
City of Palmer
A well-known former Alaska air charter operator has been found guilty of two federal charges following what has been termed a near-collision in 2023. According to the Anchorage Daily News, William Marsan, 57, of Palmer, a self-described "free citizen," was convicted of flying without a certificate and operating an unregistered aircraft by a jury. The charges arose from an FAA investigation into a 2023 incident in which it was alleged he took off from the opposite end of the active runway in Palmer and nearly collided with a plane landing in the correct orientation.
The investigation revealed he hadn't had a valid medical since 2020 and requested the registration on his aircraft be canceled in 2022. The FAA issued an emergency revocation of his ATP in 2024, but he continued to fly the unregistered Cherokee Six. He represented himself at the trial, which lasted three days. Although he was arrested last September, he is not currently in custody and will be sentenced in April. He could be jailed for up to three years and fined $250,000 on each of the charges. Prosecutors also want the Cherokee seized.
