Man Pleads Guilty To Making False Statements To FAA

A man with a history of criminal behavior has pleaded guilty in federal court to making numerous false statements to the FAA, including ones related to an attempt to fraudulently register a stolen business jet. He was indicted in June 2021 following an investigation by the U.S. DOT Office of Inspector General.

Court documents show that in July 2019 Cole Allan Peacock made false statements on an application for an FAA student pilot certificate. Although Peacock had been previously convicted of multiple felonies, the application did not disclose these details as required. A month later, Peacock forged an FAA flight instructor’s signature authorizing him to serve as pilot-in-command on multiple flights, including ones with passengers. In August 2020, Peacock submitted fraudulent records to the FAA to register a stolen Bombardier Learjet 55.

According to records obtained by BJT, between 2013 and 2019 Peacock was convicted of credit card fraud, grand theft, resisting arrest with violence, bomb threats, assaulting police officers, passing fake checks, felony impersonation of a public official, and misdemeanor reckless driving. He served jail time for some of these crimes.

DOT's Office of Inspector General did not respond to BJT’s queries for further information.