A man who told federal investigators he did not need a pilot’s license after nearly colliding with another plane over Palmer last year was convicted Wednesday of federal crimes in the case.
According to a statement from Alaska’s U.S. attorney’s office, a jury returned a split decision against 57-year-old William Marsan, finding him guilty of operating an aircraft without a license and operating an unregistered aircraft. The jury didn’t reach a unanimous verdict on the third count Marsan faced, operating an aircraft displaying a false aircraft registration mark.
The case stems from a June 2023 incident at the Palmer Airport, during which prosecutors said Marsan took off in his Piper Cherokee without tower clearance. His plane ascended into a stream of landing aircraft, nearly striking one.
In an indictment, prosecutors said Marsan – who had run an aviation business for about 30 years – had let his Federal Aviation Administration medical certification lapse and canceled his plane’s registration in the years before the mishap.
An FAA inspector who approached Marsan later that summer to ask about his documents said Marsan responded that he didn’t require them as a “free citizen.” That identifier is often used by sovereign citizens, people who reject state and federal law, sometimes claiming to be citizens of self-defined nations. Inspectors who saw Marsan’s plane in Willow said its registration number was partially obscured by stickers, one of which “had the appearance of a flag.”
Prosecutors said Marsan didn’t file an appeal when his pilot certificate was revoked in January – but he allegedly continued to fly without one until his arrest in July.
Marsan represented himself during his three-day trial this week, according to a case transcript filled with notations that documents sent to him were undeliverable.
In a 45-page document filled with conspiracy theories and filed in late September, Marsan claimed that the court and the nation had misidentified him “as their fictional legal person,” adding that he was returning correspondence delivered to his Palmer address as “nonnegotiable.” He said he had informed the FAA of his “proper nationality,” also providing advance notice of his actions regarding his accreditation.
“I have flown planes over 23,000 hours in Alaska over the last 28 years without a single man or woman harmed by my actions,” Marsan said. “An impressive accomplishment for sure and clear evidence I am no threat to anyone and fully capable of making good decisions.”
Senior Alaska-based federal officials denounced Marsan’s actions in the statement announcing the verdict.
“The use of unregistered or unauthorized aircraft poses a significant risk to public safety and undermines the integrity of Alaska’s airspace,” said Rebecca Day, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Anchorage field office. “The FBI will continue to work alongside law enforcement partners and aviation authorities to hold operators accountable who willfully disregard laws designed to keep our community safe.”
Marsan’s sentencing date was set for April 2. He faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to three years in prison for each of the two counts on which he was convicted. Prosecutors are also seeking the forfeiture of his plane.
A court order for Marsan’s release pending sentencing says he may not “operate or fly any aircraft.” It also bars him from being within a quarter mile of the Palmer Airport.
Chris Klint is a web producer and breaking news reporter at Alaska Public Media. Reach him at cklint@alaskapublic.org. Read more about Chris here.
