Man wasn’t ‘competent’ to fly when he crashed plane, killing student pilot, feds say
A New Jersey man is facing charges after officials said he crashed a plane causing the death of a student pilot.
Philip Everton McPherson is charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of Keith Kozel.
On Sept. 28, 2022, McPherson flew a plane as the pilot-in-command with Kozel onboard, according to an Aug. 5 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Shortly after taking off from Queen City Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania, McPherson crashed the plane in Lehigh County, and Kozel was killed, officials said.
McClatchy News reached out to McPherson’s attorney Aug. 6 but did not immediately hear back.
Officials said McPherson flew the plane knowing he “was not competent” after two prior accidents and failing reexamination for his pilot’s certificate in September 2021.
“He voluntarily surrendered his pilot’s certificate on October 7, 2021, acknowledging his lack of competence,” officials said.
Kozel was 49 years old and was described as a loving father.
“There was no love greater than the love Keith had for his girls, and whether with them or on his own adventures, Keith enjoyed all of natures’ wonders. To know Keith, was to love Keith. His appreciation and enjoyment for life was infectious,” his obituary said.
In addition to involuntary manslaughter, McPherson is charged with 40 counts of illegally serving as the pilot in command of an aircraft without a Federal Aviation Administration pilot’s certificate for flights between Oct. 12, 2021, and Sept. 20, 2022.
McPherson faces 128 years in prison if convicted.
This story was originally published August 6, 2024 at 2:47 PM with the headline "Man wasn’t ‘competent’ to fly when he crashed plane, killing student pilot, feds say."
