Flight Safety Detectives

The helicopter crash that killed musician Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry was primarily caused by improper maintenance. The Flight Safety Detectives share why they find fault with the NTSB assigning the primary cause to the pilot. “It is clear that the basic cause of this accident occurred in the hangar,” says John Goglia. John and Todd review the information in the NTSB report. They applaud the...

Rapid decision making and impressive aviator skills saved Harrison Ford from a deadly result in a 2015 air crash. The Flight Safety Detectives review the facts that show that Ford had a clear plan and was decisive as he dealt with engine failure shortly after takeoff in his vintage plane. Ford quickly determined that returning to the Santa Monica airport would not work. He landed on a golf course....

Episode 146 A pilot lost engine power in his single engine plane shortly after takeoff. He did a controlled ditch into the Pacific. The plane is largely intact, yet the pilot and his passenger die. The Flight Safety Detectives dig into the NTSB final report of the Peter Tomarken air crash to look at how this event could have been survived. TV personality Peter Tomarken and his wife Kathleen were k...

More than 53 dogs being transported from New Orleans to Milwaukee had a bumpy ride when their cargo flight crashed on a golf course. This is a good news story with just a few minor injuries. John and Todd take the opportunity to put the focus on aviation safety for animals. Animals are transported by air for a variety of reasons. There are some regulations to ensure their safety. However, Greg and...

"See and Avoid" is widely recognized as a method for avoiding collision. This accident shows that approach has limits. The term "See and Avoid" is part of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Regulation 14 CFR Part 91.113 (b), calling for pilots to actively search for potentially conflicting traffic. John and Todd discuss a 2014 accident where two planes crashed because they were not able to see...

Did get-there-itis and lack of preflight planning lead to the crash of a Mooney M20J into a power line tower in Montgomery County, Maryland on November 27? The Flight Safety Detectives think so. The aircraft had taken off from Westchester County, New York, and was bound for the Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg. Around 5:40 PM, for reasons still under investigation, it crashed about a few...

Episode 142 The NTSB has issued an urgent aviation safety recommendation for all operators of DHC-3 Otters to conduct an immediate one-time inspection of the horizontal stabilizer actuator lock ring. This is the result of the NTSB’s initial findings in the ongoing investigation of the Sept. 4, 2022, crash of a De Havilland Canada DHC-3 in Mutiny Bay, Washington. Wreckage recovered from this accide...

Episode 141 The NTSB database has just 74 events involving suicide and the focus of this discussion is the only one that involves a passenger rather than a pilot. The event took place in 2000, when a passenger on a Twin Otter plane intentionally opened the emergency exit door in flight. As we enter the holiday season, this accident is a reminder of the additional pressures many people experience....

Episode 140 A look inside the world of experimental aircraft is prompted by John Denver’s fatal crash 25 years ago. Denver was flying an experimental aircraft he had recently purchased. The non-standard placement of the fuel selector valve was found to be at the heart of the issues that lead to the crash. John, Greg and Todd talk about how experimental aircraft are built and maintained. They talk...

Episode 139 A pilot in a Cessna 150 making a short trip in Australia got himself into trying circumstances that led to a crash into trees. This episode dissects the preplanning failures that doomed this 1994 flight. The pilot took off at 3:50 a.m. on a schedule that would get him home for Christmas. Predicted bad weather caught up with him, and a partial failure of the instrument control panel add...

Episode 138 Flight Safety Detectives examine the crash of a Sabreliner twin engine plane in Ironwood, Michigan. The pilots flew into severe weather and did not follow standard procedures to avoid engine flameout. The pilots were on a day trip transporting two business executives. They flew into a level 5 thunderstorm and lost both engines. The investigation showed they did not use the established...

Episode 137 The investigation of an issue involving a RJ100 in Sweden is relevant to everyone who flies sophisticated aircraft. Specifically, this investigation revealed issues related to the high angle of attack stall sensor that is commonly used in the aviation industry. The Swedish authority that investigated the issue deployed a multi-person team. They were able to identify the maintenance err...

Episode 136 Was the fatal crash of a Piper PA46-500TP airplane the result of a plane with unresolved maintenance issues or a pilot with insufficient skills? The Flight Safety Detectives find that the NTSB report of this accident has no educational value or safety benefit. Calling the single engine turbo-prop plane “not your father’s 172,” Greg brings to light the complexities of the aircraft invol...

Episode 135 The investigation into a June 2022 Cessna 182G crash in Texas is ongoing. The Flight Safety Detectives share initial facts and offer safety insights. “A mechanical malfunction is high on my list to look at. Anything out of place, even a simple cotter pin, could have led to problems,” says John. The detectives share the indications that there was loss of flight controls in the final sta...

Episode 134 Poor decision-making by the pilot is showcased in the examination of a Piper PA-24 crash in Angel Fire, New Mexico. The Flight Safety Detectives find that the NTSB report of this air crash provides helpful information and findings that every pilot can learn from. Greg, John and Todd review the facts, conditions and circumstances of the accident to amplify the role of the pilot’s decisi...

Episode 133 An accident involving a Hughes 269C helicopter demonstrates the lack of depth in accidents attributed to maintenance errors. Once again, there is no analysis on the human factors involved among maintenance personnel. The NTSB probable cause for this air crash points to an improperly installed mounting bracket on the engine. The supporting details and aviation insights are lacking. “My...

Episode 132 FAA Advisory Circular 60-22 just may save your life. The document looks at aeronautical decision making and five hazardous attitudes. In the cockpit, on the hangar floor and in life, the Flight Safety Detectives say this information provides critical insight for everyone in aviation. Greg, John and Todd use a Cirrus SR 22 air crash in Midland, Texas to illustrate how poor decision-maki...

Episode 131 Continuing the discussion started in Episode 128 , the deficiencies of the NTSB report of a plane crash in Palo Alto are laid out. John, Greg, and Todd conclude that the report actually contributes to the problem of inaccurate data leading to time and money being spent on the wrong aviation safety issues. Estimates are that more than 50 percent of NTSB reports are inaccurate, incorrect...

Episode 130 Ever wonder how to get details on aviation accidents? You may be surprised to learn that many incidents don’t get added to the NTSB online database. The Flight Safety Detectives share how they find aviation incident information, from basic Google searches to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. “Most people don’t realize that many accidents are investigated by the FAA, not the N...

Episode 129 A look at the broad community of support available to today’s general aviation pilots. Todd is discovering rich resources that are helpful to every pilot as he returns to the cockpit after many years. “Flight instructors are a wealth of knowledge, but pilots still need more,” says Todd. He and John discuss several important resources: Aviation-specific weather available 24/7/365, forec...

Episode 128 The NTSB report of a 2010 Cessna 310R air crash in Palo Alto, California gets mixed reviews. Todd’s impressed by a sound study used to recreate the flight path, and John finds lots of detail in the examination of the wreckage, engine and prop. The positive first impression falls apart when Greg highlights missing details. The report does not answer many questions, including: Appropriat...

Episode 127 A look beyond the NTSB documentation of a Cessna 421C crash in Florida. Greg and John review the many important “whys’ not answered in the report. Why did the pilot not properly follow procedures to handle engine failure despite completing a training program just 90 days earlier? Why was a pilot who had recently completed a certified training program so ill prepared for handle an engin...

Episode 126 Poor pilot training is a central cause of a Cessna 421C crash in Florida. The NTSB report documents the crash, but misses the opportunity to fully analyze the training failures. With the number of accidents that involve training issues on the rise, the Flight Safety Detectives dig into this accident to share important safety takeaways. “The good news is that pilot training quality issu...

Episode 125 You never know what you will learn at the Avemco Insurance booth! John, Greg and Todd are at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh . A conversation with a pilot and listener revealed a story of an air disaster averted that the Flight Safety Detectives had to share. Hear about Heather’s flight that resulted in a damaged prop and landing gear. “I caption this story, ‘Am I really ready,’” says Greg. “It...

Episode 124 John and Greg have get-real conversation about alarming trends in aviation safety. Accidents are increasing, even among experienced pilots. At the same time, the NTSB has scaled back on investigations and is issuing reports with superficial findings. Are more air disasters in the making? Pilot shortages are leading to a push for training volume over quality. The college requirement has...