Air Canada pilot accused of flying for 17 years without license

An Air Canada captain has been accused of fraud after allegedly flying hundreds of flights over nearly 17 years without the required license, local authorities said Tuesday.

Geoffrey Wall, 59, was arrested on June 1 following a fraud investigation known as "Project Icarus," Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said at a news conference, according to Ottawa-based CBC News.

Police said Wall began his career in 1998, and became a captain in 2009, a role requiring an airline transport pilot license which he allegedly never obtained.

Investigators allege he used fraudulent pilot licenses to mislead Air Canada and Transport Canada, and later tried to hide the deception through a false police report.

He faces charges, including fraud over $5,000, public mischief, two counts of uttering forged documents, and three counts of possession of counterfeit marks.

Police launched the investigation in January after irregularities were found in documents Wall provided during a routine evaluation at Pearson airport.

Between 2009 and 2025, he allegedly captained more than 900 flights on Boeing 767, 777, and 787 aircraft, carrying tens of thousands of passengers and earning nearly $3 million.

Wall also held leadership roles within the Air Canada Pilots Association. Nando Iannicca, the chair of the Peel Police Services Board, said the allegations are troubling because they suggest "a deliberate effort to circumvent systems designed to safeguard the public."

Air Canada said it is treating the matter seriously but maintains that safety was not compromised, noting that pilots undergo competency testing every six months and annual flight checks by certified Transport Canada examiners.