South African Airways Files Charges Against Pilot William Chandler Who Flew With Wrong License 20 Years

A pilot has resigned from South African Airways (SAA) and faces criminal charges after the airline discovered he lied about having the correct type of license to operate international flights for more than 20 years.

William Chandler, who became a pilot for the airline back in 1994, claimed to have the Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) which is required by South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) for international flights. After investigating the incident, the SAA found he only possessed a Commercial Pilot License (CPL), which allows pilots to operate commercial flights, but not international flights.

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Chandler’s credentials were found to be invalid following an incident on a flight from South Africa to Germany, during which the plane encountered turbulence over the Swiss Alps and made “strange turns.”

The airline’s policy is to assess and re-evaluate crew members involved in a reported incident, during which it noticed “a Senior First Officer who had operated that flight had made false representations to the airline and claimed that he was qualified and had an Airline Transport Pilot License.”

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“What seems to have happened here is that the pilot would have taken what we have issued to them… and would have changed those documents to give an impression that they are in possession of an ATPL,” said Phindiwe Gwembu, an SACAA spokesperson.

Tlali Tlali, a spokesperson for SAA, said that the alleged fraudulent license was “disconcerting” but had not posed “any safety risk” as the pilot was in possession of a valid CPL and had completed all required safety training.

Tlali added that “necessary steps will be taken to recover the money unduly paid to him” including salary, overtime and allowances. The airline is said to be seeking “millions in rand.”

In response to the controversy, SAA has launched an audit with the SACAA to investigate any “loopholes” in its practices. As a result, the airline now says it will obtain all certification records directly from the country’s civil aviation authority, rather than allowing pilots to turn in certificates themselves.