Flight Safety Detectives

Another flight training accident, another lacking NTSB report. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the NTSB report of a fatal June 2021 flight training accident near Indianapolis that lacks useful details or analysis.The accident aircraft was Diamond DA40 with an instructor and student on board. The instructor had received a CFI certification about nine weeks before the accident. Most of the instructor's 329 hours of flight experience were with the same make and model of aircraft.The accident sequence began with a stall that turned into a spin. A certified CFI must demonstrate the ability to recover from a spin. The airplane flight manual included specific instructions for spin recovery.The NTSB recreated the accident sequence using a data card from the airplane and it showed that proper spin recovery techniques were not used. What was much less clear was how the CFI reacted in the situation.The NTSB did not investigate the training of the CFI, the procedures used by the flight training organization, or the experience other students had with the CFI. There are not enough facts or insights in the report to make it useful to the aviation community. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23 Loka 202438min

Aviation around the world changed as a result of the fatal accident involving Air Canada Flight 797. The investigation led to massive changes to the materials inside the cabins of commercial aircraft.On June 2, 1983, the DC9-32 on a routine flight from Dallas to Toronto had an inflight smoke event that led to an emergency landing in Cincinnati. As the passengers and crew began evacuating the aircraft, a flash fire in the cabin created heat and toxic smoke that killed 23 of the 46 occupants.The NTSB investigation revealed that the fire caused the release of dangerous levels of toxic chemicals and gases from the materials used inside the cabin. This finding led to a systematic transition to new fire-blocking materials. John Goglia shares his role in replacing materials on aircraft he maintained.This accident also led to the requirement for smoke detectors in lavatories. It also led to the use of air-driven flush motors in lavatories, rather than electrical flush motors.Related documents are available at the Flight Safety Detectives website. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

16 Loka 202433min

Two recent Cirrus accidents killed a total of seven people. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis have some advice for Cirrus pilots to avoid similar tragedies. They caution newer technology supports, but is not a replacement for, good planning and pilot decision-making.One accident at Kill Devil Hills airport in North Carolina, killed four adults and one child. Another, in Provo, Utah airport killed both occupants.The Kill Devil Hills aircraft apparently had the maximum possible number of occupants. Todd shares his experiences flying with a heavily loaded aircraft and how weight impacts safe flight practices. Kill Devil Hills Airport has a relatively short runway. Planning and maintaining a stabilized approach, making adjustments for trees and towers, and factoring in weather conditions all need consideration when planning to take off and land there.Accident investigators are urged to look into the specific training the pilot had for this Cirrus model.In the Utah flight, the aircraft may have entered an accelerated stall and crashed during a second approach shortly after turning from the downwind leg to the base leg.Like the first accident, ADS-B data indicated that the accident aircraft did not recently land at the accident airport. The pilot’s lack of familiarity and planning may be key factors in the crash. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

9 Loka 202437min

Fight instructor-related accidents and check ride failures at all levels of certificates and ratings are on the rise. Why? Insights are hard to come by. The report on a February 24, 2024 fatal training flight in South Africa that killed the student pilot and the instructor does nothing to help that issue. The Flight Safety Detectives’ analysis of the document finds a lack of any insightful analysis of the factors that led to the fatal crash. There are no useful insights or lessons that could benefit aviation safety. Any accident investigation has to provide some kind of aviation safety benefit, and this investigation did not meet that standard.The flight involved a pre-solo student. The training manual may have included things not normally taught to a pre-solo student. Based on eyewitness testimony, the aircraft had a low and fast approach, followed by a wingover maneuver. The report does not answer the basic question of whether it was the student or instructor at the controls.Greg Feith points out key factual evidence not analyzed or explained in the report. Todd Curtis calls for more details about the flight instructor and the flight school. John Goglia surmises that the report was written by someone without an aviation operations background. Greg, who sits on the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) board of directors, encourages the audience to attend the upcoming NAFI national safety summit, https://nafisummit.org/. The summit will address concerns over the quality of flight training. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 Loka 202440min

A second-in-command pilot left the cockpit and either jumped or fell out of an open rear cargo door of a CASA 212 aircraft flying over North Carolina. Digging into the details reveals he was self-medicating for anxiety and he may have been overcome by agitation during flight.In this 2022 event, the main landing gear was damaged when the plane that was supporting sky diving tried to land. The crew diverted to a larger airport for a second landing attempt. During that diversion, the second in command was visibly upset. He left the cockpit and either intentionally or accidentally left the aircraft, falling to his death.During the investigation, the NTSB found that this pilot was known to be a perfectionist who was hard on himself regarding his performance as a pilot. The toxicological tests indicated that the pilot who died has mitragynine in his system, which is associated with the drug Kratom. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved Kratom for any use, and the Drug Enforcement Agency has identified Kratom as a drug of concern. Internal FAA policy considers its use disqualifying for pilots. The probable cause for this event does not say anything about the role of Kratom or mental health issues. Addressing mental health in aviation is part of a larger societal problem that should be addressed. Aviation professionals don't have the incentive to get treatment for mental health issues because coming forward could end their career.Related documents are available at the Flight Safety Detectives website. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

25 Syys 202416min

The preliminary accident report on the August 9, 2024 crash of a Voepass ATR72 near Sao Paolo, Brazil has just been issued. John Goglia, Todd Curtis and Greg Feith apply their expertise to examine the findings and critical aviation safety issues.The report has detailed facts, including a summary of the flight, but several key pieces of information are missing. One big issue – no detailed transcript of what was said in the cockpit during the flight.The report focuses on the aircraft's deicing and anti-icing systems, including its apparent malfunctions. This system was first activated after the crew received an alert from the aircraft's ice detection system, and was turned off less than a minute later. The crew did not react appropriately after turning off the deicing system warning. Rather than leaving the altitude where the icing was occurring or disengaging the autopilot, the crew did neither.Based on the portions of the crew's conversation during the flight in the report, John concludes that the crew was not paying enough attention to flying the airplane. They did not address warnings from the aircraft.There is a potential conflict of interest that may impede getting all the details of this accident. The Brazilian Air Force runs CENIPA, the aviation accident investigative authority, and the Brazilian air traffic control organization. Greg and John share their firsthand experiences with investigators dealing with outside influences using the example of the 1994 Roselawn, Indiana ATR72 accident.Key takeaway here: pilots, especially professional pilots, need to educate themselves about how icing affects their aircraft.Related documents are available at the Flight Safety Detectives website.  Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

18 Syys 202452min

In March, a Mooney airplane door opened in flight, causing a loss of control and two fatalities. Todd and John examine this incident and three other Mooney events. Instead of a fault with Mooney aircraft, they find a pattern of very experienced pilots having issues and crashing when a passenger or baggage door opens in flight.Doors open in flight often. The outcome depends on pilot action.The pilot in the most recent crash had commercial and instrument ratings and nearly 800 hours of experience. Besides the door opening in flight, the NTSB found no other issues with the aircraft. The door alone should not have caused the plane crash.In the earlier cases they discuss, all the pilots had at least a hundred hours of flight experience and there were no issues with the aircraft other than the doors opening in flight. One of those accidents had an instructor pilot on board, and between the student and instructor, they had over 9,000 hours of flight experience. Todd shares an early similar flight experience when an oil access door came open during the takeoff roll. He aborted the takeoff. His current process during his flight training focuses on flying the aircraft and assessing the situation before taking any other action.Related documents are available at the Flight Safety Detectives website.Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8  Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11 Syys 202428min

Get the highlights of the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture 2024 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin! Hundreds of thousands of attendees attended the multi-day event. All sectors of aviation were represented, from the military to general aviation, from exotic and experimental aircraft to flight demonstrations by military and civilian aircraft. John Goglia attended once again this year and chatted with pilots, mechanics, elected officials, and aviation enthusiasts of every age. He met several people who regularly listen to the podcast, including some who offered ideas for future shows. AirVenture is a unique airshow experience, but there are opportunities to visit other airshows around the country. Many local airports also offer opportunities for the general public, to see airplanes up close and speak to local pilots, flight schools, and others involved in aviation. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website. Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com. Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 Elo 202415min