The Journey of Pilot Glen Hardwick and the Fate of a Flight License

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The Journey of Pilot Glen Hardwick and the Fate of a Flight License

There's a fascinating story surrounding pilot Glen Hardwick and his flight aboard a Cessna Citation 550. While I’m not a pilot or an aviation expert, this incident caught my attention and has certainly made an impression on many others as well.

It all began when Michael King, the owner of the aircraft, decided to change the tail number from N550ME to N550MK to match his initials. The FAA approved this change and issued a new registration certificate. However, when King requested a new airworthiness certificate for the new tail number, the FAA denied it, stating that the aircraft required further inspection.

A Registration Mix-Up

King believed that the denial of the new certificate meant the registration had reverted back to N550ME. In an amusing twist, another pilot had used tape to alter the tail number from K to E. Glen Hardwick was invited to fly this aircraft from Pearland, Texas, to Wichita, Kansas. Although the plane displayed the tail number N550ME, the current registration documents were for N550MK.

Before taking off, Hardwick noticed the taped-over tail number and inquired about it. King explained that the denial of the new airworthiness certificate had “returned” the tail number to N550ME. Trusting this information, Hardwick proceeded with the flight to Wichita.

A Meeting with FAA Inspectors

Upon arrival, the aircraft was met by FAA safety inspectors. Hardwick presented the current registration for N550MK along with the old airworthiness certificate for N550ME. The inspectors indicated that the FAA database indeed recognized N550MK as the correct tail number, but the number displayed on the aircraft did not match. Consequently, they issued Hardwick a Notice of Violation, warning that the aircraft was displaying an incorrect tail number and lacked a valid airworthiness certificate for the current registration.

The notice even specified that if he continued to fly without addressing these issues, he would be in violation of FAA regulations and would require a special flight permit if the discrepancies weren't resolved.

Suspension of Flight License

Despite this, Hardwick decided to fly back to Pearland the same day, with the incorrect registration still displayed on the aircraft and without any special permit. As a result, the FAA suspended Hardwick's pilot certificate for 150 days due to violations related to displaying the registration number, maintaining airworthiness, and having a valid airworthiness certificate.

Hardwick appealed to the NTSB, arguing that the suspension was unreasonable. He contended that he had relied on the information provided by the aircraft owner and the FAA, believing that the registration had reverted to N550ME and that the punishment was too severe.

The Final Ruling

However, the NTSB did not agree with him. They concluded that Hardwick was aware of the paperwork issues when he noticed the tail number had been altered with tape. Furthermore, the documentation regarding the airworthiness status was present on the aircraft.

Ultimately, the court acknowledged that an aircraft could be legally unsafe even if it was physically functioning well. The suspension of Hardwick's airworthiness certificate was not due to mechanical problems with the aircraft, but because the airworthiness certificate did not correspond with the current registration.

Lessons Learned

This incident offers valuable lessons for those in the aviation industry. First, pilots cannot solely rely on information from others without independently verifying it when issues arise. Additionally, one should never underestimate written notifications from aviation inspectors.

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