[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-306778-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-306778-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","owidui-traps-for-pilots-how-to-create-a-legal-disaster","OWI/DUI Traps for Pilots - How to Create a Legal Disaster","","A legal article explains how mishandled OWI/DUI charges involving pilots can trigger Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reporting violations and lead to avoidable suspensions, revocations, or even federal criminal exposure. It outlines FAA alcohol restrictions, the FAA definition of motor vehicle actions (MVAs), and reporting deadlines, including consequences for untimely or missed reports within specified time windows. It also covers medical certificate implications and how FAA Form 8500-8 reporting intersects with MVA obligations.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/owidui-traps-for-pilots-how-to-create-a-legal-disaster/306778/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/owidui-traps-for-pilots-how-to-create-a-legal-disaster/306778.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Finn","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-09","2026-09-19",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why can an OWI/DUI defense still lead to FAA consequences for pilots?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Because FAA rules require reporting motor vehicle actions (MVAs), and failure to comply can result in license suspensions, revocations, or criminal exposure even when driving charges are dropped or the pilot is acquitted.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What counts as a motor vehicle action (MVA) under FAA reporting rules?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"A conviction, license cancellation/suspension/revocation, or denial of a license to operate a motor vehicle—each tied to operating while intoxicated/impaired/under the influence and occurring after November 29, 1990.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What happens if a pilot fails to report an MVA within the FAA deadline?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"A reporting violation occurs once 60 days pass without the required report, and sanction outcomes depend on how many MVAs occur within three years and whether they are timely reported.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},306778,1790214771,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,99,104,109,114,118,123],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":95,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":100,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":105,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":106,"show_sort_weight":107,"slug":108},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":110,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":111,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":115,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},18,30,"letters",{"id":119,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":124,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":126},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":128},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":129,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":22,"category_id":115,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":30,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":22},34359740700684,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/1f400023980c374ae676?_k=1777273430885731487","Michigan Bar Journal  December 2015   \n30 Aviation Law  \nOWI/DUI Traps for Pilots  \nHow to Create a Legal Disaster  \nBy Donald C. Frank  \nI  \nrecently received yet another call from a pilot regarding a charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI/ DUI) that had been mishandled into be-  \ncoming a violation of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reporting requirements. Far too often, failure to comply with FAA rules while defending an OWI/DUI charge results in pilots facing otherwise avoidable pilot license suspensions, revocations, or even possible federal criminal charges. In many cases, these are particularly unfortunate because there would have been no violation of a Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR)1 if FAA reporting requirements had been properly handled during the defense of the alcohol-related driving incident. As will be noted later, an OWI/DUI charge can also have implications for a pilot’s medical requirements.  \nAs may be expected, the FAA has stringent prohibitions on operating aircraft when it comes to alcohol. Even for noncommercial operations, pilots are prohibited from operating an aircraft within eight hours of consuming any alcoholic beverage, while under the influence of alcohol, or with a blood or breath alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater,2 and FAA sanction guidance calls for license revocation for any violation.3 Non-aviation practitioners need to know there are also FAA requirements involving alcohol and driving.  \nSince 1990, the FAA has required every person who holds an FAA pilot license to report each motor vehicle action (MVA) to the FAA even if it has nothing to do with piloting an aircraft. With the exception of student licenses, pilot licenses generally never expire,4 and the  \nreporting requirements apply even if the pilot is inactive and hasn’t flown for many years. A report to the FAA may even be required despite driving charges being dropped or the pilot being acquitted, and once a motor vehicle action occurs, it must be reported within 60 days to the FAA’s Civil Aviation Security Division or the pilot is in violation of the FARs even if he or she is ultimately acquitted of all charges.5  \nFor reporting purposes, the FAA defines an MVA as:  \n(1) A conviction after November 29, 1990, for the violation ofany Federal or State statute relating to the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or a drug, while impaired by alcohol or a drug, or while under the influence of alcohol or a drug;  \n(2) The cancellation, suspension, or revocation of a license to operate a motor vehicle after November 29, 1990, for a cause related to the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or a drug, while impaired by alcohol or a drug, or while under the influence of alcohol or a drug; or  \n(3) The denial after November 29, 1990, of an application for a license to operate a motor vehicle for a cause related to the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or a drug, while impaired by alcohol or a drug, or while under the influence of alcohol or a drug.6  \nPractitioners can readily see from the definition that the first MVA arising out of allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol might have to be reported well before any conviction or acquittal, and that one alleged alcoholrelated driving incident will typically result in multiple MVAs, each of which must be reported within 60 days. Once 60 days have elapsed after an MVA without a required report being made, the FAA reporting violation has occurred, regardless of any later outcome.  \nIt is important to understand that in many or most cases, the MVA itself (even including a conviction) does not violate the FARs, but failing to report it does . An MVA reported in a timely manner only becomes grounds for suspending or revoking a pilot’s license if two or more MVAs occur within three years of each other, excluding multiple actions arising from the same incident or factual circumstances.7 FAA sanc","cbCaidldJMqnvIdA","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaidldJMqnvIdA","pdf",217782,"English","# OWI/DUI Traps for Pilots\n## FAA alcohol and reporting requirements\n## Definition of motor vehicle action (MVA)\n## Reporting deadlines and penalties\n## Medical certificate implications and Form 8500-8","[{\"question\":\"Why can an OWI/DUI defense still lead to FAA consequences for pilots?\",\"answer\":\"Because FAA rules require reporting motor vehicle actions (MVAs), and failure to comply can result in license suspensions, revocations, or criminal exposure even when driving charges are dropped or the pilot is acquitted.\"},{\"question\":\"What counts as a motor vehicle action (MVA) under FAA reporting rules?\",\"answer\":\"A conviction, license cancellation/suspension/revocation, or denial of a license to operate a motor vehicle—each tied to operating while intoxicated/impaired/under the influence and occurring after November 29, 1990.\"},{\"question\":\"What happens if a pilot fails to report an MVA within the FAA deadline?\",\"answer\":\"A reporting violation occurs once 60 days pass without the required report, and sanction outcomes depend on how many MVAs occur within three years and whether they are timely reported.\"}]","OWI/DUI Traps for Pilots - How to Create a Legal Disaster | PDF",1789841000]