Air Canada Pilot Accused of Flying Passengers for 17 Years With a Fake License

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A former Air Canada pilot is accused of flying thousands of passengers on commercial flights for 17 years without a valid license. Jeffrey Wall, 59, of Ontario, Canada, allegedly used forged documents since being promoted to captain in 2009, and now faces dozens of serious fraud charges.

Wall, who began working for Air Canada in 1998, flew various Boeing aircraft on 900 domestic and international flights. According to police, he misrepresented his qualifications after being promoted to captain, a role that requires an Airline Transport Pilot License, or ATPL, obtained in part through a series of written exams. Over those 17 years, Wall allegedly earned millions of dollars in salary without the required certification.

The fraud was uncovered last year during a routine assessment, when inconsistencies were found in his licensing records, prompting an investigation by Transport Canada.

Peel Regional Police opened a criminal investigation into Wall, which included a search warrant and an analysis of the license, which was determined to be fake. Air Canada said the pilot was removed from duty immediately after the forged documents were discovered, and that the company reported the matter to authorities. The airline stressed that passenger safety was not compromised, noting that all pilots undergo competency training every six months.

Wall was charged on June 1 with seven counts, including fraud and document forgery, and is scheduled to appear in court on June 29.