Opinion ID: 783431
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence to Support Revocation

Text: 21 Kratt argues that the Administrator relied on insufficient evidence when she revoked his pilot's license pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 44710(b)(1). He maintains that his criminal conviction for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute was insufficient evidence to satisfy the requirements of § 44710(b)(1) for revocation of his pilot's license. The Administrator contends that Kratt's guilty plea provided sufficient evidence for revocation pursuant to § 44710(b)(1) and that the Administrator and the NTSB in fact relied on more than just Kratt's conviction. 22 The Administrator is required to revoke an individual's airman certificate if that individual 23 is convicted, under a law of the United States or a State related to a controlled substance (except a law related to simple possession of a controlled substance), of an offense punishable by death or imprisonment for more than one year if the Administrator finds that — 24 (A) an aircraft was used to commit, or facilitate the commission of, the offense; and 25 (B) the individual served as an airman, or was on the aircraft, in connection with committing, or facilitating the commission of, the offense. 26 49 U.S.C.A. § 44710(b)(1). The term airman is defined to include a pilot, mechanic, or member of the crew, who navigates aircraft when under way. 49 U.S.C.A. § 40102(a)(8)(A). Therefore, this Court can overturn the NTSB's decision only if that decision was based on less than substantial evidence that Kratt was convicted of the specified type of crime, that an aircraft was used in the commission of the offense, and that Kratt either served as an airman or was on the aircraft in connection with committing the offense. 27 Kratt does not dispute that he was convicted of a drug-related crime punishable by death or imprisonment for more than one year. He was convicted pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 841, and sentenced to two years in prison. Kratt argues that the NTSB erred by relying solely on his conviction for evidence that an airplane was used in commission of his offense and that he served as an airman or was on the aircraft in commission of the offense. In fact, the NTSB relied not only on Kratt's conviction, but also on the transcript of Kratt's plea hearing and his testimony before the ALJ. 28 When the Administrator moved for summary judgment before the NTSB, the ALJ decided that Kratt's conviction alone was insufficient evidence to prove that an aircraft was used in commission of the offense and that Kratt served as an airman or was on the aircraft in connection with the offense. Later, when presented with the transcript from Kratt's plea hearing, the ALJ decided that the transcript provided sufficient evidence that Kratt served as an airman in commission of the offense to which he pled guilty. 29 The facts that the United States presented established that Kratt had served as the pilot of a plane carrying 200 pounds of marijuana. When the judge at the plea hearing asked Kratt whether the factual basis presented by the government was essentially correct, Kratt responded, Yes, sir. The ALJ rejected Kratt's argument that he only meant that the facts presented by the United States were the facts that the government intended to prove, not that those were the actual facts. The ALJ found that the question asked by the court [at Kratt's plea hearing] was clear and unequivocal and does not reasonably permit the construction urged by [Kratt] now. 30 Therefore, we find that the ALJ relied on sufficient evidence to uphold the Administrator's determination that Kratt served as an airman in commission of the offense to which he pled guilty. Contrary to Kratt's contention, the ALJ relied not just on Kratt's conviction, but also considered the evidence in the transcript from Kratt's guilty plea hearing. 31 Furthermore, although the ALJ determined that the testimony from Kratt's plea hearing was sufficient evidence to support revocation of Kratt's pilot's license, the ALJ nevertheless heard testimony from Kratt regarding his conviction. Kratt admits that he piloted the aircraft in which the marijuana was transported, and admits in his answer filed before the NTSB that he served as the pilot in commission of the offense, but he denies that he was a willing participant. 32 Kratt also argues that the term served as an airman connotes that the individual knowingly and willingly used an airplane in the commission of a crime. Pet'r Br. at 8. Section 44710(b)(1), however, contains no such requirement. Rather, the statute states that the Administrator must find that the individual served as an airman, or was on the aircraft, in connection with committing, or facilitating the commission of, the offense. 49 U.S.C.A. § 44710(b)(1)(B). There is no requirement, therefore, that one knowingly and willingly serve as an airman prior to revocation of the individual's pilot's license. Nor is there a requirement that one serve as an airman at all. Rather, one need only be on the aircraft. Despite what Kratt claims about his willingness to pilot his airplane, he does not deny that he was on the aircraft during commission of the offense to which he pled guilty. 33 To the extent that the statute requires that an individual act knowingly or willingly prior to having his pilot's license revoked, that requirement is embedded in the requirement that the individual be convicted of a drug-related offense. Indeed, the crime to which Kratt pled guilty includes the requirement that he acted knowingly or intentionally. 21 U.S.C.A. § 841(a) (West 2003). During Kratt's guilty plea hearing, the judge informed Kratt of these elements of the crime, and Kratt chose to plead guilty. 34 Although Kratt argues that he flew Andre Johnson and his companions only under duress, the ALJ noted that the Administrator cannot question the validity of Kratt's guilty plea when deciding whether to revoke his pilot's license. The revocation statute expressly states that the Administrator has no authority ... to review whether an airman violated a law of the United States or a State related to a controlled substance. 49 U.S.C.A. § 44710(b)(3); see also Rawlins v. NTSB, 837 F.2d 1327, 1329 (5th Cir.1988) (Congress obviously determined that a harsh penalty was the only advisable response to drug trafficking violations by FAA-certified pilots.). Additionally, NTSB precedent establishes that it may not entertain a collateral attack on Kratt's conviction. See Hinson v. Manning, NTSB Order No. EA-4363, Docket No. SE-13714, 1995 NTSB LEXIS 48,  (May 10, 1995); Hinson v. Gilliland, NTSB Order No. EA-4149, Docket No. SE-12706, 1994 NTSB LEXIS 113,  n. 7 (Apr. 14, 1994). Kratt's belated defense of duress is one that he could have raised in his criminal proceeding in lieu of a guilty plea, but it is too late to do so now. 35 Finally, Kratt argues that the Administrator's interpretation of the revocation statute is too broad because it would require revocation of a commercial pilot's license if the pilot flew a plane on which a passenger was carrying illegal drugs. This is not true, however, because the statute requires that the pilot be convicted of a drug-related offense before revocation of the pilot's license. In Kratt's hypothetical, there is no reason that a commercial pilot would be convicted of a drug-related crime if unbeknownst to the pilot, a passenger carries illegal drugs onto the plane. In this case, however, Kratt has pled guilty to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. 36 For the foregoing reasons, we find that the NTSB's decision affirming the Administrator's order revoking Kratt's pilot's license is supported by substantial evidence.