Former Military Propulsion Engineer James Michael Fisher Acquitted In Federal Criminal Obstruction Trial Following Fatal Mississippi Crash

A jury found James Michael Fisher not guilty of lying about a 2017 Marine Corps plane crash. Explore the details of the federal acquittal in Mississippi.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Insurance Journal

Jury Rejects Obstruction Charges In High Profile Aviation Case

A federal court in Greenville, Mississippi, has delivered a verdict of not guilty for James Michael Fisher, a former lead propulsion engineer accused of interfering with a criminal probe. The eight,day trial focused on Fisher’s conduct following the 2017 crash of a KC,130T transport plane, which disintegrated mid,air over the Mississippi Delta. Prosecutors had alleged that Fisher made false statements to federal agents regarding changes to propeller inspection procedures, but the jury ultimately found the evidence insufficient to support a conviction for obstruction of justice.

Defense Highlights Procedural Realities Of International Maintenance

The defense strategy, led by attorney Steve Farese, successfully argued that Fisher was not responsible for the specific maintenance changes that investigators scrutinized. Farese presented evidence that another individual cleared technicians to alter propeller inspection methods while Fisher was on assignment in Brazil. By establishing that Fisher had not signed the documents allowing these changes in 2011, the defense undermined the government’s claim that he intentionally lied to investigators. The verdict suggests the jury accepted the premise that procedural failures did not equate to a deliberate criminal cover,up by the retired engineer.

Technical Failures At Heart Of Deadliest Marine Air Disaster

The underlying tragedy of the case dates back to July 10, 2017, when a propeller blade shattered during a flight from North Carolina to California. Military investigators determined that civilian maintenance personnel at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex in Georgia had failed to detect cracks and corrosion in the blade years prior. The resulting structural failure caused the blade to impact the aircraft body, leading to a catastrophic mid,air breakup. The crash resulted in the deaths of 15 Marines and one Navy corpsman, making it the deadliest Marine Corps aviation incident in nearly two decades.