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Investigations

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Pennsylvania Aircraft Maintenance Operator Sentenced for Falsifying Maintenance Records and Stealing Aircraft Parts Scheme

On September 4, 2008, Daniel Snyder, the owner and operator of Smooth Landings Incorporated, was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to 51 months incarceration, 36 months supervised release, and ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution after pleading guilty on April 23, 2008 to fraud involving aircraft parts and interstate transportation of stolen property. Mr. Snyder admitted that between November 2002 and January 2008, he falsified numerous entries in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulated aircraft logbooks related to required inspection and repairs; forged the names of licensed mechanics; back–dated entries; and falsified entries to conceal thefts and unauthorized replacement of parts on aircraft he repaired. He also stole and transported a Piper PA–32 aircraft from a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida airport to his home base in Elysburg, Pennsylvania and, then illicitly sold the aircraft for $60,000.
The FAA is fully engaged in the investigation, and has established a process to notify and advise the victims of any safety hazards related to Mr. Snyder’s criminal conduct. This case was investigated jointly by the OIG and the FAA.