Aviation Youtuber ordered to pay $1M in defamation of airport owner; slams AOPA (2024)

Photo: screenshot from Dan Gryder YouTube video

A controversial aviation YouTuber was ordered to pay over $1 million in a defamation case involving a series of videos he posted online. Pilot and airport owner Charles Cook filed a lawsuit after YouTuber Dan Gryder made allegations that Cook said were false. The court ultimately sided with Cook and ordered Gryder to pay him a total of $1,081,667 plus interest that will accrue at five percent annually, until the amount is paid in full.

Gryder's quick analysis of aviation accidents on his channel has often upset commenters. In August 2021, Gryder released three videos where he made accusations against Cook, aBoeing 777 captain and owner of the Flying Oaks Airport (2TE2) in Fort Worth, Texas. According to the AOPA, Gryder accused Cook of having an extramarital affair, lying to the FAA about his health and selling a defective plane later involved in an accident. The court found all those claims to be false. Gryder went so far as to name Cook in the title of the third installment in his video and stated, “Charles Cook, if you want to get your name in lights, we are about to do that.”

Cook sued Gryder for his allegations, maintaining that no illegal activity had transpired at Flying Oaks. According to the AOPA, Gryder claimed that Cook had sold aircraft with missing log books and was not up to date with annuals and licensing. Gryder’s allegations involve the Aeronca 7AC Champion aircraft involved in a deadly crash that killed two just a week prior to the first video in the series being released.

Dan Millican of the YouTube Channel "Taking Off" did an in-depth look at the case, reporting that several witnesses said that Cook was in the hospital for weeks before the crash with a serious case of Covid. He was, at the time of the crash at home sleeping, according to witnesses. A witness also reported having to wake up Cook on his couch after the crash and physically help him to the site. Cook had known the victims and was reportedly crushed by the death of the pilot and his teenage son.

Gryder claimed that Cook’s airport was full of unlicensed “cowboy” pilots and had been reported to the FAA numerous times. Millican noted that calls to the FAA indicated the airport had never been reported. He also stated that many of the claims Gryder made in his videos were based on misinformation from “disgruntled former tenants” and said Gryder did not attempt to contact Cook to verify any of the claims before publishing his videos. The claims that the plane was abandoned at the airport and not in flying condition were rebutted in the lawsuit.

"Again, each comment is false," the lawsuit said, according to Aero-News. "The airplane was never abandoned at Flying Oaks Airport. The airplane was in flying condition and Cook purchased it from its owner, Francis. Cook refurbished the aircraft prior to its passing into the possession of the accident-pilot—a friend of Cook’s.”

The NTSB final report stated the plane was likely 225 pounds over its maximum takeoff weight at the time of the accident and the density altitude was about 2,600 feet, both contributing to the resulting loss of airplane performance and crash. The probable cause of the accident was found to be the pilot’s “exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s weight and balance limitations and decreased takeoff performance.”

As part of the evidence, Cook presented multiple text messages from Gryder “harassing Cook and threatening that if Cook files a lawsuit against him, that Defendant intends to ‘report play by play as [the lawsuit] happens,” according to the AOPA. Millican stated in his video that after the first installment was published, Cook called Gryder to talk and he claims that the YouTuber was abusive during the short call.

Dan Gryder's YouTube page

As a result of the defamation and legal battle, the complaint noted that Flying Oaks has lost numerous tenants that previously rented hangars and has been unable to fill them. The suit also claimed that Cook’s reputation had been the “subject of public ridicule, contempt and hatred.”

Gryder also accused Cook of lying on his medical to the FAA and claiming, “Charles is a diabetic. He’s got medical problems… All I can say is that the farther we go and the more stuff that Charles wants to stir up the happier it makes me.” Cook’s attorneys noted that all of his medical conditions have been accurately reported to his medical examiner and he has never been diagnosed with diabetes.

On Aug. 16 Gryder appeared in court, representing himself before the judge. In 2022 he was represented by counsel for several months before the lawyers moved to set aside a default judgment entered against Gryder for his failure to answer to Cook’s complaint and dismiss the case. Gryder had made claims that he never received an email notifying him of the intent to sue, which was refuted in court. The lawyers then withdrew from the case, claiming that, based on Texas law, continuing his representation would, “result in an unreasonable financial burden on the Movant or has been rendered unreasonably difficult by Defendant, Daniel W. Gryder," according to the AOPA. The request was approved quickly and Gryder would next appear in court without his counsel representing him.

Dan Gryder speaking in court, from his YouTube video

“The judge asked Gryder if he was going to hire another lawyer, to which Gryder responded no, he was going to represent himself,” Millican said in his video. “The judge told Gryder to go ahead and argue the motion to vacate default judgment and Gryder responded, ‘I don’t know what you’re asking,’ and the judge again tried to help Gryder by allowing him to argue the motion but Gryder wouldn’t.”

After this, the judge moved in favor of the Plaintiff and set the date for the penalty damages phase in August. Millican said that Gryder and Cook’s attorney met but a settlement was not reached. Gryder had offered to make an apology video but Cook was reportedly “long past that.”

The three videos regarding Cook and the crash are no longer on Gryder’s YouTube page. It is unknown if Gryder will appeal.

Dan Gryder talks about the story in his latest video

After the AOPA story was published, Gryder spoke in his latest video about his disagreements. He continued to speak out about the 2021 crash. He still argues about the unsafe conditions on the flight and even played a recorded call with the writer from the AOPA. He noted all three outlets that reported on the case, AOPA, Aero-News and Taking Off. According to Gryder, “you’d have to be stupid to run this story.”