On 2008-08-04 15:47:22 -0700, Jim Logajan said:

"Mike" wrote:
Taking off with your wife and daughter would have to be pretty high on
the list:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20080731X01135

The plane was a '59 145hp 172. DA would have been around 3,500. You
can draw your own conclusions.

The report lists the N-number and states that the non-certificated pilot is
also the owner. The aircraft number can be located in the FAA aircraft
database, which provides the owner name. The FAA license database can be
searched for the owner's name to see what, if any, certificates the owner
holds or held.

Bottom line appears to suggest:
The listed owner bought the aircraft in 2004 about a month prior to getting
a student pilot certificate. Doesn't appear to have gone past that stage. I
don't know if or how the database handles renewals so the owner might still
have a student license, though were that the case I assume the NTSB report
would have stated "student pilot" not "non-certificated" pilot.

I seem to recall reading in AOPA Pilot that the owner of Aviat Aircraft
flew a Pitts for a long time with nothing but a student pilot
certificate. Apparently he was too busy to take the check ride, but he
was pretty good at aerobatics. This was a few years back (but not too
many years back). I suspect he has finished his pilot certificate by
now, though. :-)

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor