NJ Man Sentenced After Flying Plane Without Certification, Killing Student Pilot

RIVERSIDE, NJ — A 37-year-old man from Riverside was sentenced for his role in a 2022 plane crash that killed a student pilot, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said.

Philip McPherson II was sentenced to 78 months in jail, followed by three years of supervised release, a $5,000 fine, $4,300 special assessment, and $19,53o in restitution.

He is also barred from working in the aviation field

On Sept. 22, 2022, McPherson took off as the pilot-in-command of a Piper-28-140 plane from Queen City Airport in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

According to officials, McPherson:

• Was not competent to safely operate the plane due to two prior crashes, and a near third
• Failed his Sept. 29, 2021, re-test for a pilot's certificate due to a lack of competence
• Voluntarily surrendered his pilot's certificate on Oct. 7. 2021, and acknowledged his lack of competence
• Allowed his Temporary Airman Certificate to expire on Nov. 8, 2021

Shortly after takeoff, he crashed the plane and killed a student pilot identified only as "K.K."

McPherson also admitted to acting as the pilot-in-command with passengers aboard and a lack of a Federal Aviation Administration certificate on multiple flights between Oct. 12, 2021, and Sept. 20, 2022.

He was charged in April 2025 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to charges of involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obstruction of an administrative proceeding, and 40 counts of serving as an airman without a certificate.

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