Florida Student Pilot Pleads Guilty to Plane Theft

Rufus Crane, a 27-year-old student pilot from Coconut Creek, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing a Beechcraft Bonanza A-36 aircraft from Perry, Georgia, and flying it without a proper license through multiple states. On May 4, 2024, Crane flew the plane at night through foggy conditions to Waxhaw, North Carolina, making stops in South Carolina and Cochran, Georgia, before returning the aircraft to Perry. He turned off the plane’s transponder during the flight, preventing air traffic control from tracking the aircraft, and violated federal aviation regulations by flying alone and operating a plane he was not authorized to fly. Prosecutors highlighted the significant safety risks posed by his actions. Crane faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and may owe restitution to the aircraft owner, with sentencing set for September 17. He was released on a $20,000 bond and is now barred from operating any aircraft.