2 Oakland police helicopter pilots accused of faking FAA certifications

Two Oakland Police Department officers are facing federal charges after allegedly conspiring with a federal aviation official to fake their helicopter pilot certifications. 

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Prosecutors said the scheme happened between July 2023 and March 2024, when the two officers, Brandon Mart and David Mac, allegedly worked with William Miller, an aviation inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration, to fraudulently receive their certificates.

The officers are accused of submitting fake documents related to “checkrides,” according to an indictment filed on Aug. 27. A checkride, which is required to obtain a pilot certification, includes a practical flight test with specific maneuvers and an oral exam covering topics like aviation regulations and aircraft systems. 

The indictment alleges Mart received three fraudulent checkride certifications and Mac received one, even though the officer failed to complete all of the requirements or some checkrides never occurred at all.

In one case, Miller signed off on a document for a July 20, 2023, checkride for Mart, which said the flight happened from Oakland International Airport from 7:13 a.m. to 12:32 p.m. However, prosecutors allege that the flight never happened and that Miller was in Lakeland, Florida, when the checkride was reported. 

Mac is also accused of submitting paperwork for another checkride that never occurred. On Feb. 28, 2024, Miller and Mac signed off on a checkride at Oakland International Airport, but records show the helicopter listed in the paperwork did not fly during that time.

In another checkride, on Feb. 27, 2024, prosecutors said Mart did take flight; however, he did not complete the maneuvers required to receive his certification. Still, Miller allegedly signed off on the checkride. 

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In a Thursday court hearing, the two officers and Miller pleaded not guilty to several charges, which include conspiracy, defrauding the FAA and falsifying records, the Mercury News reported. They are scheduled to appear in court again on Nov. 30. 

OPD Chief James Beere said in a video statement posted Thursday to Instagram that the department only learned about the allegations on Thursday, the same day of the court hearing. Beere did not name the officers or specify the allegations in the video.

“When I became chief of police, I made it clear that anyone who commits a crime in our city will be held accountable, including members of the Oakland Police Department, who are entrusted with a level of authority and responsibility that few others are given,” Beere said.

OPD confirmed to SFGATE that the officers are on paid administrative leave and the department is auditing the certifications of other helicopter-unit pilots. OPD did not answer SFGATE’s questions about whether either of the officers used the certifications in question to conduct flights, citing the investigation as an “ongoing personnel matter.” 

The FAA declined SFGATE’s request for comment on the investigation.