McBoyle v. United States

William McBoyle (defendant), who operated a commercial airport, persuaded a pilot to steal an airplane from the United States Aircraft Corporation, change its serial number, and fly it toward Texas; the pilot stopped in Oklahoma, sold the plane at McBoyle's direction, and later crashed a second airplane McBoyle sent him to fly back to deceive the original owners. McBoyle was convicted of violating the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act and appealed, arguing an airplane does not qualify as a motor vehicle under the statute.