[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A former pilot for Air Canada, a Canadian airline, has been criminally charged for allegedly flying commercial passenger planes for about 17 years without the captain qualifications required for large aircraft, sparking public shock.
According to ABC and other foreign media outlets, Canadian police said on the 9th local time that Jeffrey Wall, 59, from Barrie, Ontario, was charged with serving as a captain on large commercial passenger aircraft from 2009 to 2025 without the required qualifications. Investigators said he operated more than 900 flights during that period, including domestic and international routes.
He reportedly held a basic commercial pilot license, but had not obtained the Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), which is mandatory for captains of large passenger aircraft.
Investigators believe Wall deceived the airline and regulators about his qualifications by using forged or false licensing documents.
Police said he had built a pilot career spanning about 27 years and had served as a captain of large aircraft for roughly 17 years after his promotion in 2009. He is believed to have mainly flown the Boeing 767, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
His unauthorized flying came to light after irregularities were found during document verification. Transport Canada notified police earlier this year, prompting a full investigation. Police also said Wall is accused of falsely reporting that his pilot-related documents had been stolen.
Air Canada said it removed the pilot from duty immediately after the issue was identified and reported the matter to authorities voluntarily.
He has since left the company. The airline explained, "All pilots undergo proficiency training every six months and must pass a government-certified check flight every 12 months," adding, "This incident did not compromise flight safety." It also said an audit of former pilots found no additional violations.
Jang Jong-ho bellho@sportschosun.com
