A commercial and instrument rated pilot was charged in U.S. District Court a misdemeanor for making an unlawful landing on a lake in a National Forrest Preserve. Before charges were filed, the pilot was surreptitiously interviewed by Forrest Service Police.
A commercial and instrument rated pilot was charged in U.S. District Court a misdemeanor for making an unlawful landing on a lake in a National Forrest Preserve. Before charges were filed, the pilot was surreptitiously interviewed by Forrest Service Police. The police saw a YouTube video which the pilot allegedly posted showing his float plane landing on a back country lake in the forest preserve. Before trial, we enhanced the video and noticed that half way through the video, the floatplane’s altimeter could be seen and it indicated a much lower elevation than that of the lake. Based on this, the court dismissed the charge.
