Flight Safety Detectives9 Nov 2022

John Denver Crash and Experimental Aircraft

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 about how modifications are made, often with little oversight.

The particular Long-EZ plane that Denver purchased was built with the fuel selector site valve mounted on the bulkhead behind the pilot’s left shoulder. Using it literally required the use of a mirror and pliers.

The setup, combined with questionable preflight decisions, set John Denver up to fail. Witnesses describe the engine sputtering, a steep nosedive and a crash into the ocean off the California cost. The NTSB concluded that the root cause was issues related to the fuel selector valve.

The Flight safety Detectives offer words of caution to the experimental aircraft community to make sure that safety is top of mind at all times.

Related documents available at the Flight Safety Detectives website:

- NTSB report of fatal Long-EZ crash from 1997 (PDF)
- NTSB report of WACO crash from 1989 (PDF)

- Public Docket Fatal 1997 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.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(339)

What Makes an Airplane Safe to Fly? - Episode 340

When is an aircraft truly airworthy? The answer is more complicated—and more important—than most pilots and aviation professionals realize. Aviation safety experts Todd Curtis and John Goglia are join...

5 Aug 41min

737 Crash Details Emerging, Mental Health Bill Needs Attention - Episode 339

Greg Feith, John Goglia, and Todd Curtis, along with returning guest Mike Borfitz dig into the developing facts emerging related to the recent 737 crash in the northern Arabian Sea. As the wreckage is...

29 Jul 55min

Young Aviation Enthusiast Examines Air Traffic Issues - Episode 338

Todd Curtis and John Goglia interview Rohan Guskin an aviation enthusiast whose experiences defy his young age. Guskin started flying at age 14 and is now 16. He is still too young to qualify for a pi...

22 Jul 36min

Three New Aviation Events Everyone in Aviation Should Know About - Episode 337

A cargo Boeing 737 plunges into the Arabian Sea. A seaplane crashes near Manhattan but everyone survives. And an executive jet narrowly misses an unidentified silver object at 16,000 feet. In this epi...

15 Jul 30min

Three People Die in One Tragic Flight - Episode 336

A routine flight turned into a tragedy that raises difficult questions about pilot decision-making, flight school oversight, and the risks of night flying. In this episode of Flight Safety Detectives,...

8 Jul 40min

Aviation Misadventures Explored in June Livestream Recording - Episode 335

John Goglia and Todd Curtis went live on June 22 to answer listener questions and give to-the-moment updates on several recent aviation safety events. They cover several recent misadventures: A near...

1 Jul 36min

Aviation Investigations Uncover the Full Story - Episode 334

What can NASA safety reports tell us about the state of aviation after the pandemic? In this episode of Flight Safety Detectives, former NTSB Board Member John Goglia and aviation safety analyst Todd ...

24 Jun 26min

Student Pilot Runs Out of Fuel - Episode 333

John Goglia and Todd Curtis examine an all-too-common aviation incident: fuel exhaustion. Two pilots recently took off on a training flight that would start after midnight and end before dawn. They p...

17 Jun 27min