New Jersey man faces federal prison time for fatal Pennsylvania plane crash

abc ^ | June 11, 2026 | Kaylee Lindenmuth

[xxqqzz]

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WHTM) — A New Jersey man will face federal prison time after he acted as a flight instructor without a valid pilot’s license when his plane crashed, killing a student pilot on board.

Philip McPherson II, 37, of Riverside, was sentenced Thursday to 78 months in prison, or 6 1/2 years, on federal involuntary manslaughter and related charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

The charges arose from a Sept. 28, 2022, plane crash in suburban Allentown. A student pilot was killed and McPherson was seriously injured.

McPherson pleaded guilty in October to involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obstruction of an administrative proceeding, and 40 counts of serving as an airman without a certificate.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, McPherson “acted with gross negligence” in the flight as he had surrendered his pilot’s certificate in October of 2021. He also had two prior crashes.

In the final investigation report, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said McPherson took off from Allentown-Queen City Airport just before 2 p.m.

[xxqqzz]

Flight instructor get 6 1/2 years, and owner of flight school got 2 1/2 years. Owner of flight school had to pay back over $100K in lesson fees for uncertified instructor. Flight school is out of business. Instructor lost his pilot's license after 2 sort of accidents and failing check ride. Evaluator had to take control in check ride to prevent crash. He kept working as a flight instructor anyway. Was involved in accident he survived, but student was killed. Plane had mechanical problems, maybe also a fault of flight school. However, flight instructor charged with manslaughter because he didn't have a valid pilots license. Flight instructor was black.

[SkyDancer]

Oh dear Flight instructor was black stand by ....

[Red Badger]

AVIATION PING............😥

[E. Pluribus Unum]

This is the closest I could come to a photo.

It appears his image has been scrubbed from the Interwebs.

We may never know why.

[SaveFerris]

There’s still several pictures of him though

My initial search found 3 including the one you posted 👍

[E. Pluribus Unum]

found another video

[albie]

So the grinning negro is the “instructor”?

[HombreSecreto]

Former WAF (Wakanda Air Force) pilot?

[Tom Tetroxide]

Fake Flight Instructor Gets Student Pilot Killed!
by Pilot Debrief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkwHbKMDJos

FORMER Flight Instructor Gets NEW Indictment in Manslaughter Case
by Taking Off
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asSMrgimK9s

Fake CFI Guilty in DEATH of Student!
by Taking Off
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qncTGoVDKvI

Fake Flight Instructor Gets Prison for Manslaughter!
by Taking Off
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImTesvZgbEk

[Tom Tetroxide]

Reminds me of a certain grinning U.S. President. (and I’m not talking about Jimmuh)

[Tom Tetroxide]

Yes. More accurately he was an incompetent, fake, wannabe instructor.

[albie]

It makes you wonder what the percentage is of honest, hard-working, black men versus scamming, thieving, black men.

[Jacquerie]

Pilot Debrief will eventually have fun with this one.

[GenXPolymath]

No, at least know the back story.

Philip Everton McPherson II previously held a valid Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificate. However, he voluntarily surrendered it in October 2021 following multiple safety incidents, meaning he did not have a valid pilot or instructor certificate when he illegally continued to instruct students prior to a fatal 2022 plane crash.

Prior to October 2021: McPherson held valid FAA commercial pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificates. During this time, he was involved in two non-fatal runway accidents while instructing.

October 2021: Due to a “lack of demonstrated competence,” the FAA required a re-examination check ride. During the test, McPherson botched a go-around so severely that the FAA inspector had to take the controls to avoid a crash. Following this failure, McPherson voluntarily surrendered his commercial and CFI certificates.

So he was certified before he gave it up because he kept failing check rides to keep that cert.