Shows
Flight Safety DetectivesFAA & Aviation Maintenance Disconnects - Episode 300In this 300th episode of the Flight Safety Detectives podcast, Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia welcome special guest Sarah MacLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA). Maintenance issues get the spotlight, including how maintenance professionals and aircraft operators are challenged to understand how FAA maintenance regulations and standards apply to them.MacLeod is a vocal advocate for individuals and companies on international aviation safety law, policy, and compliance issues. She and John have each worked to shape FAA regulations and policies, sometimes in conflict but always with the same objectives in mind.
2025-11-051h 16
Flight Safety DetectivesLaGuardia Regional Airliners Collide on Taxiway - Episode 299Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia provide critical insights into an October 1, 2025, ground collision at LaGuardia Airport between two taxiing regional airliners. The collision caused serious damage to both planes operated by Delta Connection. The NTSB has not yet provided a preliminary report but the detectives gather details that offer initial insights. John has extensive experience as a mechanic at LaGuardia and shares his experience with congestion at this very busy airport. Hear why the pilots may have been distracted while taxiing.A Flight Safety Detectives channel member shares lessons learned from an incident w...
2025-10-2938 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAir India Crash & Washington National Crash Latest Details - Episode 296In this recording of the first Flight Safety Detectives live stream, viewer questions take John Goglia, Todd Curtis and Greg Feith on a deep dive onto aviation safety headlines. Audience questions help bring forward the latest developments in the investigations of the Air India crash, Washington National crash, reports of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and much more.Why the public will never get full disclosure of the Air India crashPotential changes coming from the DC crash investigationLimitations and benefits of cameras in the cockpit and around aircraft Unanswered questions in recent UAP investigationsCriminal prosecution in accident investigation in t...
2025-10-0854 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDigging Deeper into the Drone Swarm Event - Episode 292Viewer questions lead to continued discussion in Episode 288 about a fleet of unknown drones that violated FAA regulations by flying near an airliner for an hour. John Goglia and Todd Curtis provide additional insights.Would cameras in the cockpit be helpful? Probably not. Advances in flight data recorder technology have allowed flight data recorders to track over a thousand inputs about the state of the aircraft, including most of the information that a camera in the cockpit could provide. In the case of the drones, the pilots would have had a better view compared to a cockpit...
2025-09-1036 min
Flight Safety DetectivesControlled Substances & Mental Health Impacts on Aviation Safety - Episode 291John Goglia, Todd Curtis, and Greg Feith discuss the details of a fatal R44 helicopter crash in Australia that involved a pilot who had been drinking and had suspected mental health issues. The pilot took off without permission and made several low-level passes over the city before crashing into a hotel. The ATSB accident investigation report included a detailed analysis of the flight and of the helicopter wreckage, but didn't provide details as to the level of the pilot's intoxication, the pilot's mental fitness or witness statements that may have shed some light on the pilot's state o...
2025-09-0334 min
Flight Safety DetectivesStrange High-Altitude Encounters Get Stranger - Episode 288The investigation continues into two unusual high-altitude encounters initially described as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drone sightings. Information gathered since the Flight Safety Detectives’ first look at this incident has made these strange events seem like unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) incidents.In December 2024, a Delta 767 crew reported being shadowed for over an hour at 34,000 feet by multiple flashing red-and-white aircraft over New Mexico and Arizona—well above legal drone limits and invisible to ATC radar. FAA records later indicated four objects maneuvering close to the jet, one within 1,000 feet.Shortly after, a United 787 at 27,000 feet...
2025-08-1357 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDC Midair Collision Gets Hearing - Episode 286The NTSB just finished a 3-day hearing about the fatal January 2025 midair collision between an airliner and a U.S. Army helicopter over the Potomac River. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis tuned in and share their takeaways.The hearing covered many issues, particularly the role that FAA and Army procedures and systems played in the crash. They credit NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy and Member Todd Inman with assertive questioning that took the FAA to task for lack of cooperation with the NTSB. The NTSB can't make regulations and can only recommend them. This i...
2025-08-0448 min
Flight Safety DetectivesBad Pilot Decisions Kills 6 - Episode 283A Cessna Citation crash in March that killed all aboard appears to be the result of bad pilot decision making. Responding to the interest of numerous listeners, John Goglia and Todd Curtis dig into what happened.The pilot was completing a cross-country flight in the early morning hours of March 22, 2025. He took off after 11 pm the previous night in Teterboro, NJ, and crashed hours later in San Diego.John and Todd explore the questionable decision-making by the pilot. Near the end of the flight, the pilot decided to continue with his landing despite the weather...
2025-07-2325 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAir India Investigation Facts and Logic Must Prevail - Episode 281Yesterday’s special episode generated a lot of questions about the Air India preliminary report. Facts in hand, the Flight Safety Detectives tackle them head on.The preliminary report does not identify any issues with the aircraft that directly contributed to the crash. It focuses on the actions taken by the flight crew. Hear more detail on why the design of fuel cutoff switches makes it unlikely that a mechanical or electrical issue led to the engine shutdown. The most logical cause was action taken by at least one flight crew member.John Gog...
2025-07-1544 min
Flight Safety DetectivesExperts Raise Alarm Over Air India 787 Crash Investigation Ahead of Preliminary Report - Episode 279India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau plans to issue a preliminary report on the June 12, 2025, fatal crash of an Air India 787 tomorrow. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia detectives have serious concerns about the credibility of this investigation and the upcoming preliminary report.They discuss several irregularities with the investigation, including the unusual decision not to include Air India as a party to the investigation. John and Greg have learned through their networks that the Indian authorities have limited the involvement of key parties including Boeing, the NTSB, the FAA, and engine manufacturer GE.Since...
2025-07-1034 min
Flight Safety DetectivesSafety Critical Information Being Withheld from Air India 787 Crash? – Episode 276Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis find the lack of information emerging about the Air India 787 crash surprising. They wonder if safety critical information is being withheld from the aviation community and the public at large.The flight data recorder (FDR) is in the US for analysis, while the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) remains in India. The CVR and FDR are typically read out simultaneously to marry up the data. Only when analyzed together can the data be fully understood. Assessing the recorders separately does not make sense.Another oddity – the Indian government called fo...
2025-06-2535 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDeveloping: All Killed in Helicopter Crash with Radio Tower - Episode 248Todd Curtis and John Goglia share the unfolding information surrounding a October 20, 2024 crash of an air tour R44 helicopter into a radio tower in Houston. The NTSB investigation continues.The air tour helicopter apparently crashed into the radio tower while the pilot in command was reading back a traffic advisory about a second helicopter in the vicinity. The second helicopter was operated by the same air tour company. The preliminary NTSB report issued less than a month after the accident. Details in the preliminary report and additional information from security cameras show that the pilot o...
2025-06-2432 min
Flight Safety DetectivesBreaking Aviation Safety News: Air India Crash and Bombing in Middle East - Episode 275Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia are fresh from media interviews on the Air India crash. They regroup here to share their insights with the Flight Safety Detectives audience.An Air India 787 crashed in Ahmedabad, India on June 12. The detectives want to put the brakes on the media, aviation commentators and social media posters who are providing bad information about the cause of the crash.Many people speaking out, including pilots and other aviation professionals, are demonstrating little understanding of 787 systems and procedures. They are misrepresenting the limited information available about the event. This...
2025-06-161h 11
Flight Safety DetectivesWhat Happened to Singer Jim Croce? - Episode 273Jim Croce died in a plane crash more than 50 years ago. Determining what caused the 1973 crash is challenging. This episode also covers an event where no one was flying a Lufthansa plane.The only surviving document from the plane crash that killed Jim Croce is less than a page long, leaving many questions unanswered. The investigation was likely carried out by an investigator who was outside of NTSB headquarters. At that time, the records for most accident investigations were not sent to headquarters.Jim Croce was traveling late at night from Louisiana to Texas. For...
2025-06-0437 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAviation Safety Takes Significant Hits in US - Episode 271Recent air traffic control issues at Newark Liberty Airport and the recent dismissal of an NTSB board member signal significant aviation safety issues in the US.Since early May, Newark Airport has experienced significant flight disruptions due to radar outages and shortages of air traffic controllers. The current FAA administrator blames the previous administration for these problems. What’s the truth?These issues have been ongoing for more than a decade for many reasons. Delayed infrastructure improvementsAging air traffic controller workforceIncreased demand for flight operations at NewarkAdd to this that there aren’t eno...
2025-05-2139 min
Flight Safety DetectivesIce Falls from the Sky - Episode 270A 200-pound chunk of ice came crashing through the roof of a house in February. What was the source?Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia analyze an unusual event involving a large chunk of ice from the sky. The ice fell out of a clear sky and crashed through the metal roof of a home in Florida. After an investigation, the FAA found no evidence that a plane was the source of the ice. Chemical analysis showed that the ice was not contaminated with chemicals that may have come from an airplane's lavatory.
2025-05-1421 min
Flight Safety DetectivesOffshore Oil Platforms and Aviation Safety - Episode 269Helicopters and offshore oil platform operations can be a deadly combination. John Goglia and Todd Curtis discuss two accidents to illustrate aviation safety concerns.In a 2010 accident discussed, maintenance and managerial failures resulted in minor damage and no injuries because of the pilot's skill. Another is a fatal accident that killed all on board due to the pilot not following the helicopter operator's standard procedures for landing and taking off.In the 2010 accident there were multiple missed inspections by mechanics and pilots over several days, including the accident flight. The poor maintenance effort led to...
2025-05-0738 min
Flight Safety DetectivesSmart Pilot Makes Bad Decision and Pays with His Life - Episode 268A pilot with many hours of experience and an instructor rating died following the bad decision to fly his newly purchased airplane without first understanding how the aircraft systems operate. He also did not review the logbooks or have the plane looked over after 10 years sitting idle.The pilot had purchased a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche. Key facts in the NTSB report and public docket show that the pilot did not have a pre-buy inspection, was not familiar with the aircraft’s systems, and ignored the advice of his friend and former CFI to not fly....
2025-04-3036 min
Flight Safety DetectivesMitsubishi MU-2 Crash Follows Missed Approach - Episode 267An experienced pilot with multiple ratings lost control of his Mitsubishi MU-2 aircraft and crashed after a missed approach. Greg Feith, Todd Curtis and John Goglia look at the facts surrounding this incident that killed six.ADS-B information broadcast by the plane shows a missed approach followed by an unusual second attempt. Rather than flying the published missed approach, air traffic controllers were directing the pilot to take a series of right turns for a second approach. The pilot was taking several members of his family to a holiday celebration, so the pilot may have c...
2025-04-2332 min
Flight Safety DetectivesManhattan Tragedy: Sightseeing Helicopter Crash - Episode 266Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss a fatal air tour helicopter crash near New York City that killed all six people on board, including a family of five from Spain. They examine several witness videos plus ADS-S data in their analysis.The crash happened on April 10, 2025, three days before this episode was recorded. The flight was apparently routine until the helicopter suddenly rotated and crashed. Pieces of the aircraft, including the tail boom and the rotor blades, separated from the aircraft before it crashed into the Hudson River.Air tour operators are allowed to operate...
2025-04-1634 min
Flight Safety DetectivesInflight Icing Examined in Fatal TBM 700 Plane Crash - Episode 265Inflight icing may have been a factor in the recent fatal crash of a TBM 700. Relying on publicly available ADS-B data and video from a nearby home, Todd Curtis, John Goglia, and Greg Feith discuss icing and other issues that may have affected the pilot and the aircraft.The TBM 700, a single-engine turboprop aircraft, crashed outside of Minneapolis. The aircraft was expected to land at the Anoka County–Blaine Airport. The pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, had departed from Naples, Florida, earlier that day and spent about 36 minutes on the ground at Des Moi...
2025-04-0946 min
Flight Safety DetectivesJust Released! Report on Plane Crash in Toronto Examined - Episode 264The preliminary accident report on the February crash of the Endeavor Air CRJ-900 in Toronto, Canada has just been released. John Goglia, Todd Curtis and Greg Feith examine the facts provided as well as the gaps in information that still exist.The reported descent rate at touchdown was very close to the descent rate the detectives estimated based on a screen grab taken from a witness video. While confirming some observations, the report is missing key information including the conversations on the cockpit voice recorder.About a month after the Toronto crash, another Endeavor CRJ-900...
2025-04-0236 min
Flight Safety DetectivesThe Ultimate Insider Discussion of Today’s Media and Aviation Safety - Episode 262Travel journalist Peter Greenberg joins Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia for a wide-ranging look at current aviation topics. Peter is a longtime safety advocate and host of the PBS series "The Travel Detective.”Hear as these four experts cover the hottest topics in aviation safety. Ironically, the U.S. has just marked the 30 safest years since commercial aviation began. Yet, recent incidents reported make aviation seem less safe than ever.Much of what has changed is the impact of citizen journalists. Widespread access to recording devices and social media allows everyone to influence pu...
2025-03-191h 01
Flight Safety DetectivesLanding Gear Failure Leads to Fatal Plane Crash - Episode 261An examination of the preliminary NTSB report of a February 10, 2025 crash of a Learjet 35 that killed the pilot. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia examine the issues with the landing gear that caused the accident.The flight crew was conducting a normal approach and was apparently unaware that the left main landing gear had failed. Witness photos taken during the approach showed that the left main landing gear was twisted almost 180 degrees from its normal position.About eight months before the accident in Scottsdale, the aircraft had an incident in Oklahoma where the left m...
2025-03-1236 min
Flight Safety DetectivesIs it Safe to Fly? - Episode 260A look at several recent high-profile aviation accidents. Although flying is much less risky than decades ago, crashes change the public's opinion about aviation safety. It now feels less safe to fly.The February 17 crash in Toronto of an Endeavor Airlines CRJ-900 operating as a Delta Air Lines regional flight gets particular emphasis. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith and John Goglia compare the Toronto crash to three other crashes where the wings broke off, the aircraft ended up inverted, and there was a post-crash fire. The 1997 crash of a FedEx MD11 at Newark Airport is one s...
2025-03-0547 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDrone Pilot Guilty of Far More than Aircraft Damage - Episode 259The pilot of the drone that damaged a firefighting aircraft has pled guilty to causing the damage that grounded the Candian SuperScooper for several days. The event was detailed in Episode 253.The pilot, a successful video game developer, paid over $65,000 to repair the aircraft, will reimburse the government Quebec for additional costs, and faces up to a year in prison. In the words of the Department of Justice, the pilot "recklessly flew an aircraft into airspace where first responders were risking their lives in an attempt to protect lives and property."The pilot did more...
2025-02-2619 min
Flight Safety DetectivesThe Aftermath of the DC Mid-Air Collision - Episode 258The midair collision between an airliner and a military helicopter in Washington D.C. has led to actions that may hinder aviation safety and national security. And, it has highlighted issues caused by the current air traffic control system as well as vacant leadership positions at the FAA. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis talk about the aviation safety issues surrounding the tragic air crash and the impact of political reactions. They cover the information released by investigators. Knee-jerk reactions from authorities like halting certain flight operations, leadership gaps in the FAA, and politicians, in...
2025-02-1935 min
Flight Safety DetectivesUAVs, Advanced Air Mobility and Crowded Air Space - Episode 257Nick Lappos, former Vietnam AH-1 Cobra helicopter pilot and Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow for Rotary and Mission Systems, offers insights on the future of air mobility. The focus is on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced air mobility (AAM).Nick was part of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) certification task force that just published the report "Challenges to the Commercialization of Advanced Air Mobility.” He shares his expertise on air traffic management. Together with Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis, he digs into the challenges of integrating UAVs into the air tra...
2025-02-1251 min
Flight Safety Detectives767 Encounters UAP - Episode 256Details emerge of a possible encounter between a 767 and about 25 unidentified UAP flying near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The plane was headed from JFK to LAX. The UAS followed the aircraft at high altitude for about an hour over hundreds of miles.The FAA or some other organization needs to investigate events like this to assess credible risks and ensure safety of air space. There are significant national security concerns as well.Increased reports of UAP sightings may not be from more events happening, but from there being less stigma around the subject of UAP...
2025-02-1132 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDale Earnhardt Jr Survives Air Crash Caused by Bad Pilot Decisions - Episode 255NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family survived the August 15, 2019 crash of a Cessna Citation Latitude jet caused by bad pilot decisions. John Goglia, Greg Feith and Todd Curtis go beyond the NTSB report to explore what led to an “unstabilized, ridiculously fast” landing that destroyed the aircraft.Both crew members had hundreds of hours of flight experience in this aircraft model, and the copilot was also the director of operations for the airplane operator. In spite of their experience, the crew decided to continue the approach after realizing the aircraft was in an unstabilized approach.
2025-01-2933 min
Flight Safety DetectivesLax Maintenance Practices Kills 2 in Cessna Crash - Episode 254Lax oversight by the FAA and questionable maintenance practices by both a flight school and the previous owner of a Cessna 172P aircraft led to a fatal plane crash. The Flight Safety Detectives find this is another aviation disaster that could have been avoided.The NTSB report points to a corroded aileron control cable that failed just after takeoff as the cause of the event. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the circumstances that led to the crash, killing a student and an instructor. The aircraft involved had been sitting idle for about a...
2025-01-2236 min
Flight Safety DetectivesLA Firefighting Aircraft Grounded by Illegal Drone Activity - Episode 253A midair collision between a private drone and an aircraft fighting the Los Angeles area fires caused damage to the plane and an evacuation of all firefighting aircraft from the area. John Goglia and Todd Curtis explore the tragic effect on firefighting as well as the violations of aviation rules.This event was a major setback in firefighting efforts. The FAA had taken steps to restrict flying around the fire area that were not followed. They expect federal action to be taken against the drone pilot.The collision with the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone punched...
2025-01-1525 min
Flight Safety DetectivesHair-Raising UAP Encounter Shared by Pilot - Episode 252Sailplane pilot Bob Pett had a close encounter with an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) that exhibited extraordinary speed and maneuverability. Bob shares the experience with John Goglia and Todd Curtis in his first public statement about the encounter.While the first UAP flew in close formation off his left wing during the encounter, two similar UAPs descended from a cloud and joined up with the first. Seeing the next two UAPs approach raised the hair on the back of Bob’s neck. Bob and his passenger documented what they saw on August 9, 2015, including sketches of the...
2025-01-1042 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAttack of the Drones? - Episode 251A wave of drone sightings are being reported throughout New Jersey and metropolitan New York, including flights over military installations and critical infrastructure. Drones are now part of battlefields. Are we under attack? Todd Curtis and John Goglia look at the facts of the recent drone sightings. Some video clearly shows airplanes in flight. However, others appear to show drones. The federal government's response has been lacking, with government spokespersons offering few insights into who or what is behind the drone flights or whether there is a national security issue.Russia, China, Iran or...
2025-01-0826 min
Flight Safety DetectivesRicky Nelson Plane Crash - What Caused the Fire? - Episode 250Fire and smoke led to the crash of a Douglas DC3 that killed signer Ricky Nelson and six others. To this day, rumors surround this 1985 deadly crash. Todd Curtis and John Goglia dig in to analyze the known facts.Among the rumors they explore is one that suggests that Ricky Nelson and other passengers may have caused a fire while using drugs in the passenger cabin. Although the NTSB report was inconclusive about the cause of the fire, the crew had reported issues starting the cabin heating system. For John, this aviation disaster illustrates his l...
2024-12-1822 min
Flight Safety DetectivesIs It Safe to Fly Qantas? - Episode 249Is Qantas Airlines safe? Two recent events have led the Australian media and others to raise that question.The first safety issue was in November 2024. A tool was left in the engine of a Qantas A380 for nearly a month before it was discovered. A few days later, a Qantas 737 had an engine failure while taking off from Sydney. The Australian media covered these events extensively, raising concerns about Qantas’ safety. The Flight Safety Detectives look at whether these events establish a pattern of concern. One factor here is that the Australian Transport Safe...
2024-12-1130 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDrone Accident and A First for the National Aviation Hall of Fame- Episode 245Flight Safety Detectives host John Goglia will be inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, a rare accomplishment in aviation. John is the first person whose career was focused on aviation maintenance to be selected. John Goglia and Todd Curtis talk about the honor before diving into a recent drone accident in Boston that injured two people. The drone crash occurred in downtown Boston during the taping of the TNT show "Inside the NBA." The drone crashed into a pole and fell, injuring people in the crowd. The drone flight would likely have had a FAA e...
2024-11-0622 min
Flight Safety DetectivesBad Fuel Line Causes Engine Fire & Crash - Episode 244A fatal Piper PA-28-300 plane crash was caused by a loose fuel line that should never have been installed on the aircraft. The NTSB investigation of the fatal May 2018 crash shows that a fuel line that was not approved for use on that aircraft led to an engine fire. Todd Curtis and John Goglia examine the details. Although the fuel line used was an approved aviation part, it was not approved for use in this aircraft. The NTSB could not determine who installed the part or when it was installed.Approved parts used in u...
2024-10-3032 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAnother Disappointing Training Accident Report - Episode 243Another 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...
2024-10-2338 min
Flight Safety DetectivesFatal Crashes Traced to Cirrus Pilots - Episode 241Two 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...
2024-10-0937 min
Flight Safety DetectivesReport on Fatal Air Crash Leaves Cause a Mystery - Episode 240Fight 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 avia...
2024-10-0240 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCritical Aviation Safety Issues Emerge from Voepass ATR72 Accident - Episode 238The 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 cr...
2024-09-1852 min
Flight Safety DetectivesBrazilian Aviation Woes: VoePass Deadly Crash & ATC Comms Issues - Episode 235What led to the deadly crash of a Voepass Linhas Aereas in August? Video of the flight's final moments show the aircraft rapidly descending in a flat spin. Early reports on the accident mention that icing conditions were present in the area at the time of the crash.Recovering from a spin in a large airliner is a significant challenge for pilots. Understanding how to avoid situations that lead to stalls and spins is the best way to avoid these tragedies.Flight training typically does not require pilots to experience actual spins. Even full-motion simulators...
2024-08-2141 min
Flight Safety DetectivesUse ASRS to Report UAP and UFO Encounters - Episode 234NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) can be used by pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and others in the aviation safety community to report UAP or UFO encounters without revealing their identity or the identity of their employers. Todd Curtis discussed this in a June 2024 presentation at the Contact in the Desert Conference in Palm Springs, California. In this episode, he and John Goglia dig deeper into the issue of reporting of these encounters in the aviation community. While neither of them has seen an incident report that mentioned a UFO or UAP, that it does not mean t...
2024-08-1452 min
Flight Safety DetectivesMidair Collision Between Cessna 172 and Dash 8 Highlights Aviation Safety Concerns in Mixed-Use Airports- Episode 231A fatal midair collision involving a Cessna 172 illustrates several aviation safety concerns related to pilot training in and around airports with commercial operations. The incident involved a student and instructor on board performing touch-and-go landings and a Dash 8 departing on a passenger flight.While the event happened in Kenya, the circumstances that led to this accident could happen in any location where airliners and small training aircraft operate out of the same airport. In this case, the midair collision occurred only about 500 feet above the ground and 1500 feet below a broken cloud layer in an area with...
2024-07-2429 min
Flight Safety DetectivesThe Insidious Passenger and Pilot Killer - Episode 229Hypoxia is a significant danger in aviation and an insidious killer of passengers and pilots. Special guest Miles O'Brien hosts a discussion with aviation experts Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia that covers how hypoxia impacts all forms of aviation. They discuss personal experiences with hypoxia and share insights from several hypoxia-related accidents.Hypoxia is a condition where the human body is deprived of oxygen which can reduce mental function. Hypoxia can be particularly hazardous for pilots because someone experiencing hypoxia may not be aware of its symptoms or its effects on their performance....
2024-07-1035 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDangers of Turbulence - Episode 228Planes that experience turbulence in flight are getting a lot of headline attention lately. During one widely covered incident of turbulence in May 2024 a passenger aboard a Singapore Airlines flight was killed.Serious turbulence leading to injuries is not uncommon. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss several notable in-flight turbulence events, including the death of 1950s era test pilot Scott Crossfield.Specific and useful information about turbulence conditions is often not readily available. However, pilots can avoid turbulence, either by adjusting the planned flight to miss major areas of turbulence or by deciding not to...
2024-07-0331 min
Flight Safety DetectivesMissing Equipment and Inexperience Lead to Plane Crash - Episode 226Missing equipment and inexperience led to a plane crash that killed 3. Precipitation, turbulence, and icing were factors in the crash of a Piper PA-30 Comanche in Oklahoma. The pilot did not have an instrument certification and was not able to handle the conditions.The pilot had a private pilot and multiengine rating but did not have instrument training. Todd Curtis, Miles O’Brien, and John Goglia discuss what may have driven the pilot to fly into deteriorating weather. “Getting there” seems to have been the focus rather than planning and preparation.The pilot was cruising at abo...
2024-06-1922 min
Flight Safety DetectivesFourth Incident for Hughes 369 Helicopter Proves Fatal - Episode 225The fatal crash of Hughes 369 helicopter being used to trim trees has a backstory that gives insight into what went wrong. This workhorse of a helicopter apparently had damage from previous incidents.The NTSB investigation found cracks in an engine mount that were likely present before the crash. John Goglia and Todd Curtis look beyond the fatal accident and share three previous investigations involving this helicopter. Two involved a crash with serious structural damage or a hard landing. These events may have stressed the engine mounts. The fatal crash happened when the helicopter was in u...
2024-06-1230 min
Flight Safety DetectivesElectrical Failure Leads to 727 Crash in Pacific Ocean - Episode 223The crew of a United Airlines 727 tried to turn back shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles, but did not make it back to the airport. The plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia discuss the crash of the 727-22QC in 1969. Electrical failures and electrical system design contributed to the plane crash. The accident happened on a night with limited visibility due to the weather.The aircraft had three electrical generators, but only two were working. Shortly after takeoff, the crew shut down one engine due to a fire...
2024-05-2945 min
Flight Safety Detectives$4 Million Mistake on Air Force One - Episode 222Oil and oxygen don’t mix on airplanes. A crew doing maintenance on the Air Force One oxygen system ignored safety procedures resulting in $4 million dollars of damage the plane.The damage was caused by maintenance activity on the oxygen system of a U.S. Air Force VC-25A, a 747 aircraft that regularly flies the President of the United States. This event occurred in 2016.John Goglia and Todd Curtis share evidence that crew did not follow the VC-25A's aircraft maintenance manual procedures for cleaning the tools, parts, and components before performing leak checks on th...
2024-05-2228 min
Flight Safety Detectives2020 Midair Collision Revisited- Episode 221New evidence calls into question the NTSB's conclusions – and our reporting in Episode 193 - about a 2020 midair collision. Video and other information shows that there were two helicopters in the area before the midair collision.Miles O'Brien, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia revisit the 2020 midair collision of a drone and a helicopter. The NTSB used a video shot by the drone to conclude that a helicopter seen at the beginning of the video later collided with the drone. When Todd recently used the video as part of a class he was teaching, he noticed a sha...
2024-05-1532 min
Flight Safety DetectivesWitnessing Excellence at the 2024 AMC Competition in Chicago - Episode 219Coming to you from the 2024 AMC Competition in Chicago! Miles O'Brien, Todd Curtis, John Goglia, Greg Feith, and aircraft mechanic and accident investigator Jason Lukasik share the experience of the competition. Every aspect of aviation maintenance and repair was on display as competitors worked to beat the clock.This year more than 400 competitors from nearly 90 teams from maintenance schools, airlines, and the military tackled 27 aviation maintenance skills challenges. Hear about the displays of excellence and comradery witnessed at the event.The high-energy event highlights the critical role of aviation maintenance professionals and gives the participants...
2024-05-0137 min
Flight Safety DetectivesThe Laura Taber Barbour Foundation Legacy in Aviation Safety - Episode 218Special guest Henry Gourdji shares the work of the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation, which presents the Laura Taber Barbour Air Safety Award. The air safety award has been given in recognition of aviation safety leadership since 1956. Recipients include John Goglia in 2020. The award grew out of the 1945 crash of a DC3 that killed all 20 crew and passengers, including Laura Taber Barbour. Her family created the award to recognize significant air safety achievements. Henry highlights the ongoing dedicated work of air safety professionals.John and Henry discuss the international scope of the Laura Taber Barbour Foundation. I...
2024-04-2443 min
Flight Safety DetectivesNavigating the Risks of Post-Maintenance Flights - Episode 217Miles O'Brien joins Todd Curtis and John Goglia to discuss two fatal general aviation accidents that involved aircraft that were just out of maintenance. In focus are the decisions and actions pilots and maintenance personnel could have taken to avoid the crashes or make them survivable.One crash involves a Piper Cherokee on its second flight after an oil pressure line was replaced. The pilot did not do a basic preflight check or notice a five-foot diameter oil stain under the aircraft. The engine failed shortly after takeoff, and the pilot crashed while attempting to make a 180° t...
2024-04-1732 min
Flight Safety DetectivesStall Warning Flight Test Turns Disastrous - Episode 216A Beech Hawker 900XP jet crashed while doing a flight test of a stall warning system. Special guest Miles O'Brien joins Todd Curtis and John Goglia deconstruct the February 2024 aviation incident. The accident occurred during a positioning flight that happened after completion of maintenance of the anti-icing component on the leading edge of the wing. The flight crew was performing a required test of the stall warning system. The aircraft lost control and crashed about 11 minutes after takeoff.Stall tests are often done early in a flight so the crew can easily return to the m...
2024-04-1031 min
Flight Safety DetectivesPhoto Shoot Model Struck by Aircraft Wing - Episode 215A photo shoot in a dry Nevada lakebed went horribly wrong when the wing of an airplane hit the model in the head. Miles O’Brien, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia discuss the June 2023 accident that involved an Aviate Husky plane.The pilot, photographer and his wife, who was the model for the photo session, met early on the morning of the accident. On the fly, they planned a complex photo session involving the aircraft flying close to the model. The pilot misjudged his approach and the wingtip of the aircraft struck the back of mod...
2024-04-0329 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCrash Shows Dangers of Home Built Aircraft - Episode 214Home-built aircraft are dangerous. Special guest Miles O'Brien joins Todd Curtis and John Goglia to discuss an August 2023 crash of a Kit Fox Model 3 aircraft that seriously injured the pilot.The FAA's approach to home-built aircraft allows owners to build their aircraft with little or no direct oversight. The accident rate is more than two times higher than general aviation aircraft.The pilot did not have a current FAA medical certification or a current endorsement to operate an aircraft as a single pilot. According to the maintenance documentation, in the eight years prior to the...
2024-03-2726 min
Flight Safety DetectivesStall and Spin Maneuvers Lead to Fatal Cessna 172 Crash - Episode 213An experienced flight instructor and student were killed when stall and spin practice in a Cessna 172 went horribly wrong. Flight data recorded by the aircraft and other evidence shows that the aircraft entered a very steep spiral turn nearly 6,000 above the ground and did not recover.“They set themselves up for the right conditions. This accident just doesn’t make sense,” John Goglia says.Todd Curtis and John dig into the November 11, 2021 fatal plane crash. The flight instructor had nearly 15,000 hours of experience in the Cessna 172 and the student pilot had nearly 370 hours in the same m...
2024-03-2025 min
Flight Safety DetectivesTwo New Aviation Safety Incidents Involving Boeing Planes - Episode 212More than 50 people were injured on March 11 when a Boeing 787 flying from Australia to New Zealand experienced a precipitous drop. John Goglia shares inside information that indicates one of the pilot seats was accidentally moved forward, jamming the pilot up against the control column and causing the sudden drop.Special guest Miles O'Brien joins Todd Curtis and John Goglia to discuss this and another aviation incident from early March 2024. The second incident occurred on March 7, when a planespotter recorded a video of a wheel falling off of a 777 shortly after takeoff from San Francisco.The...
2024-03-1531 min
Flight Safety DetectiveseVTOL Safety – Episode 211Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the crash of a Joby JAS4 eVTOL aircraft to highlight safety concerns and regulatory challenges. Propulsion units used in eVTOLs pose significant safety risks.The eVTOL in this crash was being remotely flown during a test flight. The aircraft is powered by six electric motors and is designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter and cruise like an airplane. John, Greg, and Todd examine how the design of the aircraft, with a unique configuration of six propulsion units, creates several failure modes that don't e...
2024-03-1332 min
Flight Safety DetectivesChallenger 604 Roadway Emergency Landing Mistakes – Episode 210Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss the February 9, 2024 crash of a Challenger 604 jet on I75 in Florida. The plane landed on the road, but then crashed into a wall, killing the pilot and copilot. John and Todd discuss why a better outcome was possible.The jet, which had three crew members and two passengers, was nearing the end of a flight from Columbus, Ohio, when the flight crew declared an emergency to air traffic control. They lost their engines and could not make it to the airport.Little official information was available at the time...
2024-03-0620 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDeclaring an In-Flight Emergency Can Save Your Life – Episode 208Most general aviation pilots hesitate to declare an inflight emergency fearing negative consequences. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis use a Beechcraft Bonanza plane crash to illustrate how declaring an emergency can be the safest move.The fatal Beechcraft Bonanza accident in the spotlight of this episode is featured in the book, "Single-Pilot IFR Pro Tips" written by 2019 National CFI of the Year Gary "GPS" Reeves. Known as The Guy in the Pink Shirt, Reeves uses examples from several incidents to illustrate good general aviation pilot habits. Reeves uses the Beechcaft Bonanza event to h...
2024-02-2132 min
Flight Safety DetectivesPlane Crash Caused by Pilot's Poor Decisions and Lack of Aircraft Understanding – Episode 206The pilot of a Beech Bonanza F33A made an off-field landing when the engine lost power shortly after takeoff. John Goglia, Greg Feith and Todd Curtis dig into the information gathered by the NTSB and find this crash was caused by poor decisions made by the pilot.Greg, Todd, and John analyze the information from the Public Docket of the crash investigation. They find that the pilot's lack of understanding about the aircraft and its systems contributed a series of decisions that led to the plane crash. The pilot took off with the fuel p...
2024-02-0735 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAccident or Conspiracy? Singer Jenni Rivera Lear 25 Accident Examined – Episode 204Jenni Rivera was a huge celebrity at the time of her death. Was the plane crash that killed her an accident or do the conspiracy theories point to the real cause? In a continuation of the examination of this aviation incident that started in Episode 203, Greg Feith joins John Goglia and Todd Curtis to discuss why the conspiracy theories related to the crash are unlikely to be true. They use the evidence uncovered during the official investigation combined with their knowledge of the accident aircraft to get to the facts.John, Greg, and Todd compare t...
2024-01-2433 min
Flight Safety DetectivesATSB Report Offers Aviation Safety Details and Insight – Episode 197Todd Curtis and John Goglia analyze an accident that was investigated by the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau, Australia's version of the NTSB. The ATSB report offers comprehensive aviation safety details and insight. John and Todd review the level of detail and compare it to what they find in NTSB reports from similar general aviation accidents.The Australian accident involved a Cessna 172 aircraft that crashed due to pilot decision making. This was the pilot’s first solo flight using the autopilot system. His confusion led to the fatal plane crash.John compares the pilot’s decisions in t...
2023-12-2739 min
Flight Safety DetectivesHigh-Flying Drama: Drone and Helicopter Collide in Mid-Air – Episode 193A drone and helicopter collide in midair as they cover a desert road race. The crash caused minor damage to the helicopter and major damage to the drone. Todd Curtis and John Goglia dissect the video and NTSB report of the incident involving a Aerospatiale AS350BA helicopter and a DJI Mavic 2 Zoom drone.John and Todd focus on key safety issues that the NTSB did not raise as they examined the 2020 collision in Johnson Valley, California. Operating helicopters and drones in the same low altitude airspace created significant safety risks that neither pilot appeared to take...
2023-11-2930 min
Flight Safety DetectivesBad Decisions Lead to Cessna Engine Failure and Crash – Episode 192Oil leaks don’t just happen. When they do, they should trigger a close look at the engine. John Goglia and Todd Curtis share this advice after digging into the fatal crash of a Cessna Centurion after the owner and his passenger made unscheduled repairs on the oil system.The experienced pilot and passenger lost oil in fight and landed to add more. Surprisingly, there is no evidence that they did any kind of inspection of the engine. Witnesses present when they took off again say they did not do an engine runup. They also reported hearing od...
2023-11-2221 min
Flight Safety DetectivesMajor League Pitcher Halladay's Flight Stunts Lead to Death – Episode 190A former major league pitcher who had a Hall of Fame career died when doing stunt-type maneuvers in his plane. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss Roy "Doc" Halladay’s risk-taking behavior that led to the November 2017 crash of the Icon A5 light sport aircraft he was piloting.The plane crash occurred when Halladay was executing aggressive maneuvers at low altitudes over the waters near Clearwater, Florida. The NTSB investigation showed that Halladay had drugs in his system that would have likely impaired his decision-making ability.John sums up Halladay’s actions as “absolutely crazy.” Todd not...
2023-11-0828 min
Flight Safety DetectivesHigh Risk Choices Lead to Plane Crash that Kills 2 – Episode 188An experienced pilot and mechanic made risky decisions, causing a plane crash that killed himself and a passenger. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss the 2021 crash and the many decisions made that compromised aviation safety.The pilot was flying a recently purchased Piper PA24 Comanche that had been grounded for the previous 15 years. The accident pilot was an experienced and certified FAA mechanic. He had extensive experience flying Piper aircraft, but no significant experience flying the model of the accident aircraft.Todd and John question the decision-making process of the accident pilot. Although the engine...
2023-10-2530 min
Flight Safety DetectivesGetting Serious About UAP Sightings – Episode 187Not too long ago, anyone who reported a UFO, or UAP as they are called today, was deemed crazy. The most likely follow up was a psychiatric exam. John Goglia and Todd Curtis report on the growing effort to systematically record and analyze these events.
A September 2023 NASA report from an independent study team recommended that NASA use the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to support U.S. government efforts to understand unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and the effect on aviation safety. John and Todd offer detail on why the ASRS is an ideal tool for the...
2023-10-1825 min
Flight Safety DetectivesMedical Helicopter Crashes Show Aviation Safety Risks – Episode 185The sheer number of helicopter accidents in the last six months is raising safety alarms. Todd Curtis and John Goglia focus on the conditions that helicopter pilots, and specifically medical helicopter operations, experience.
John and Todd examine the relatively frequent accidents around the U.S. involving medical helicopters. The show starts with a deep analysis of events around the August 28 crash of a medical helicopter in Pompano Beach, Florida. A video of the crash was shared online shortly after the crash.
They compare the ongoing investigation of the Pompano Beach crash with another medical helicopter...
2023-09-2724 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAviation Thrill Seekers Beware – Episode 179Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the risks of aviation thrill-seeking. They look at aviation disasters from the NTSB database that involve experiences outside of standard FAA regulations.
The FAA allows certain commercial operators to offer voluntary high-risk experiences to the general public. “Top Gun” aerobatic rides, balloon flights, and sight-seeing flights are some examples. Existing rules allow for a wide range of leeway in FAA approval for these types of flights. Oversight may be minimal.
They evaluate a plane crash where a thrill ride resulted in the loss of the aircraft and crew...
2023-08-1639 min
Flight Safety DetectivesThe Aviation Disaster that Ended an Empire – Episode 178Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia interview historian and author S.C. "Sam" Gwynne, about his latest book, "His Majesty's Airship." The book tells the story of the crash of the British R101 in France in 1930.
The book discusses how the airship R101 was a key part of the British government's plan to cut by more than half the time it took to travel to distant parts of its empire such as Australia and India. The R101 crashed during its first commercial flight.
The aviation disaster killed 48 people. Among those lost was the commander...
2023-08-0943 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCarbon Fiber in the Air and Under the Sea – Episode 177Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss the use of carbon fiber in the Boeing 787 airplane and the Titan submersible. Prompted by listener questions, they explain why the carbon fiber is subjected to completely different – and riskier - conditions in the case of the sub that got international attention when it imploded on June 18, 2023.
The Titan accident is under investigation by American and Canadian authorities. The submersible used a novel design that included using carbon fiber to construct a major portion of the hull.
Todd and John compare the use of carbon fiber in a submersible co...
2023-08-0222 min
Flight Safety DetectivesNYC Air Crash Shows Danger of Wing Contamination – Episode 176A F28 airliner crashed shortly after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport due to icing that degraded the lift on the wings. Just 3% leading edge wing contamination would have been enough to cause this aviation disaster.
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia highlight the safety findings related to the 1992 plane crash of USAir Flight 405. The aircraft had no devices to keep the leading edge of the wing clear in the cold and snowy weather conditions. The crash caused 27 fatalities.
John shares firsthand knowledge of the deicing procedures in place in 1992. Those procedures have have changed, in...
2023-07-2640 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAviation Safety Lessons from First Flight into a Special Use Airport – Episode 174A flight instructor chose to have a pilot take his first flight in an airplane into a special use airport and the result was a different learning experience than planned. The aircraft experienced a hard landing that led to a fracture of the right wing spar.
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss this accident in Puerto Rico that involved a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. The instructor pilot chose to take a new pilot on his very first flight with the airline to a small airport that had a very challenging approach.
The new pilot...
2023-07-1223 min
Flight Safety DetectivesAircraft Cargo Door Headaches – Episode 173This episode dives into the design and maintenance of aircraft cargo doors. Many aviation safety incidents with cargo doors are documented as maintenance issues, but some have caused notable air crashes.
Todd Curtis and John Goglia focus on the 1989 plane crash of an Evergreen International Airlines DC9. The first officer did not properly close the main deck cargo door. The door came open shortly after takeoff, which led to a loss of control and a crash.
John shares his long history dealing with cargo door issues. He shares how door engineering has evolved over time...
2023-07-0532 min
Flight Safety DetectivesFlight Plan Creates Aviation Safety Risks – Episode 172Some flight plans have aviation safety risks baked in. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss a runway excursion accident involving a student pilot who in the same flight was attempting to satisfy both a night currency requirement and a 250 nautical mile training flight requirement for an instrument certification.
The plan literally went off track during the attempted takeoff at the fourth stage of the flight plan.
“They bent some metal, no one was injured, but there is a lot to learn from this incident,” John says.
The original plan involved a flight of well...
2023-06-2822 min
Flight Safety DetectivesJohn Goglia's Unique Insight into USAir Plane Crash – Episode 171You had to be there to know the full story of the plane crash of USAir Flight 5050. John Goglia was, and he shares the experience.
Todd Curtis and John discuss the fatal 1989 crash of USAir Flight 5050 at La Guardia Airport in New York. John directly participated in the accident investigation as a mechanic with USAir. He shares accident investigation details well beyond the official report.
The extraordinary amount of media attention around the accident and the flight crew impacted the sequence of events. The reported “missing pilots” were only missing to the media, having been move...
2023-06-2141 min
Flight Safety DetectivesKeith Green Plane Crash Shows Value of Accident Investigation – Episode 170The fiery plane crash that killed Christian music star Keith Green and 11 others resulted in safety lessons for every pilot. The NTSB accident report also has safety takeaways for anyone who rents or uses aircraft and pilots that are not their own.
Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia talk about the circumstances of the fatal 1982 air crash. The thorough NTSB accident investigation (NTSB_FTW82AA299_Keith_Green.pdf) documents the roles that the overloaded and unbalanced aircraft and the pilot’s experience played in the tragedy.
Greg and John compare the detailed findings in th...
2023-06-1425 min
Flight Safety DetectivesSmall Hardware Causes Big Aviation Safety Problems – Episode 169The NTSB has a message for mechanics – pay attention to B-nuts! Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia dig into NTSB Safety Alert 086, which highlights four accidents that were caused in part by improperly tightened b-nuts.
Small parts led to big problems. Two of the accidents were fatal.
They focus on one accident that involves a very experienced pilot who also performed maintenance on the accident aircraft. The Bell 206 helicopter crashed following a fuel leak. The NTSB found that when he did maintenance on the aircraft, he failed to properly torque the nut.
Fa...
2023-06-0732 min
Flight Safety Detectives40 Percent Power in a Cessna 150? – Episode 167A pilot’s report of 40% engine power is just one of many unexplained facts in the NTSB report of a crash involving a modified Cessna 150. The banner-towing flight crashed while attempting to land in Riverside, California.
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss a Cessna 150 banner tow plane accident where the pilot had engine issues shortly before landing and made an emergency landing near the airport. They discuss unusual decisions made by the pilot, including taking off in challenging weather conditions and trying to restart the engine while in the airport traffic pattern.
The NT...
2023-05-2426 min
Flight Safety DetectivesPilot Gets Lost During Night Flight – Episode 166Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the role of pilot decision making in a crash of a Cessna 152 in Florida. The pilot decided to do some practice flying at night and under low visibility conditions with deadly results.
The NTSB investigation of the 2015 fatal crash did not seriously investigate several apparent issues, including the quality of the accident pilot's training and English language proficiency. Hear the recording with Air Traffic Control to get a sense of the severe communication issues that occurred.
Like many accidents, the trajectory of this accident was set before...
2023-05-1742 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCommercial Space Safety: Human Factors – Episode 165Commercial space operations pose significant aviation safety challenges. Safety systems and processes need to evolve to meet the demands of new technologies and approaches. John Goglia and Todd Curtis discuss human factors issues with experimental aircraft.
They examine the single commercial space accident in the NTSB database. The investigation looked at the 2014 inflight breaking of Scaled Composite's SpaceShip Tow spacecraft over the Mojave Desert. A disconnect between how engineers expected the aircraft to be operated and pilot behavior in the cockpit appears to be at the root of this accident. They look particularly at assumptions made about...
2023-05-1033 min
Flight Safety DetectivesA Terrible Year for Aviation Accidents – Episode 164John Goglia, Greg Feith, and Todd Curtis discuss the 1985 crash of an Eastern Airlines 727 in the mountains of Bolivia. Greg was an on-site NTSB investigator for the crash that was the start of one of the worst commercial aviation accident years in history.
Greg led an expedition to the Andes Mountains to attempt to retrieve the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. He offers a preview of a two-hour documentary that will focus on the accident.
They also discuss a variety of ground incidents that have led to injuries and fatalities on the ramp...
2023-05-0338 min
Flight Safety DetectivesLive! from the 2023 Aerospace Maintenance Competition – Episode 163John Goglia, Greg Feith, and Todd Curtis share news from the 2023 Aerospace Maintenance Competition held during MRO Americas in Atlanta. More than 80 maintenance teams from around the world participated in this year’s competition.
John is a long-time organizer of the event, and Todd is involved in human factors aspects of the competition. Competitors tackled 26 testing areas.
Also on hand were some big names in commercial aviation. Many job offers were made onsite. Competitors demonstrate the skills airlines need to support quality maintenance programs.
The Flight Safety Detectives discuss all the opportunities that th...
2023-04-2627 min
Flight Safety DetectivesWake Turbulence Can Be Dangerous – Episode 162Important reminder - wake turbulence can be dangerous. It moves with the wind and can be hard to avoid without great care. John Goglia and Todd Curtis look at two aviation safety events that illustrate what happens when pilots experience wake turbulence.
Both incidents under discussion involve certified flight instructors (CFIs). They illustrate issues with decision making and the skill needed to avert major disaster.
One incident is from a NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) report. The second is from an NTSB incident report. Neither resulted in damage or injury, but both had the...
2023-04-1935 min
Flight Safety DetectivesFamed R&B Singer Killed in Air Crash Caused by Safety Errors – Episode 161The air crash that killed R&B singer Aaliyah had more safety holes than swiss cheese. John Goglia and Todd Curtis examine at the Bahamian authority report of the 2001 event.
Eight passengers and a pilot were onboard the Cessna 402B charter flight. John and Todd discuss the details of the accident report and the multiple organizational issues of the aircraft operator.
They find that shoddy airline operations are at the center of the cause of this event. They talk about the specific shortcomings that involve everything from pilot verification, to aircraft maintenance to illegal operations.
2023-04-1221 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCaptain Kirk, SXSW and Listener Questions - Episode 160Todd Curtis is just back from exploring the future of air transportation on display at SXSW in Austin, Texas. He and John Goglia talk about newcomers Jove and EVE, electric and hydrogen engines and more. Plus, they answer listener questions.
They highlight aviation safety issues brought by new technology and aviation innovations. They cover everything from cockpit design to countering perceptions created by the Hindenburg crash.
Pilot training, maintenance capabilities, and regulations will all need to evolve as we move toward a time of advanced air mobility.
“New technology will need to meet ol...
2023-04-0542 min
Flight Safety DetectivesCessna 441 Engine Issue Traced to Maintenance Mistakes - Episode 158A Cessna 441 Conquest had an engine issue and landed without incident. A fix was made, but that’s not the end of the story. A second incident occurred that revealed damage not initially discovered. The Flight Safety Detectives share major safety takeaways from this sequence of events.
The focus is on an Australian investigation of a 2021 incident. During some engine maintenance, two adjacent oil lines were transposed. The error was discovered when the engine did not operate properly in flight. A field repair was done, but a short time later there was another engine problem.
Th...
2023-03-2223 min
Flight Safety DetectivesYeti Air Crash Preliminary Report - Episode 157The Flight Safety Detectives examine the preliminary accident report from the fatal January 2023 crash of a Yeti Airlines ATR 72. They discuss professionalism and crew resource management as the central cause.
“Pilots needs to execute with purpose,” Greg Feith says. “That means that before you do or touch anything in the cockpit you have to be clear about your purpose.”
Greg, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia share possible reasons why the flight crew made fundamental errors that allowed the aircraft to stall and crash shortly before landing. For them, the crash may become a great case study fo...
2023-03-1536 min
Flight Safety DetectivesDeadly Cory Lidle Crash Caused by Failure to Plan- Episode 156Major League Baseball player Cory Lidle was killed when he flew his Cirrus SR20 into a building alongside the East River in New York. The accident shows the consequences of failure to do preflight planning and poor aeronautical decision making.
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the circumstances around the October 11, 2006 crash. The aircraft was on a VFR flight beneath the Class B airspace around Manhattan Island. Lidle and his passenger, who was a certificated instructor pilot, were unable to negotiate a turn over the East River, and were killed after striking a building.
2023-03-0833 min
Flight Safety DetectivesVintage Aircraft Creating Safety Concerns - Episode 155Vintage airframes are creating modern-day safety issues. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss the recent P63 -B17 crash at a Texas air show as one example. They also examine a 2020 crash of a Vietnam era UH-1H helicopter that crashed during fire suppression operations.
The Flight safety Detectives talk about the challenges of keeping older airframes safe. Metal ages and fatigues. Maintenance records are less clear. The people with in-depth experience with these aircraft become scarce.
They talk about the many facets the FAA will need to consider as the agency reassesses the proper use...
2023-03-0122 min
Flight Safety DetectivesPhraseology and Aviation Safety - Episode 154Words matter. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss several aviation incidents with a common thread of communication issues.
They cover two runway incursions that were dangerously close to becoming runway collisions. One was at JFK Airport in January 2023, and the second in Austin in February 2023. These air carrier events are an opportunity to look phraseology and communication as factors in aviation safety.
The Flight Safety Detectives talk about the importance of investigators looking at cockpit communication issues and human factors issues in these incidents. In both, they suspect that little things like the...
2023-02-2237 min
Flight Safety Detectives19 Operational Mistakes and 1 Ruined Helicopter - Episode 153“A sloppy operation all around.” That’s John Goglia’s summary of a helicopter and truck accident that’s the subject of this episode. John counts 19 operational errors listed in the accident report that all contributed to the crash that destroyed a police helicopter.
John and Todd Curtis share insight and amateur video that provide a close look at the 2020 ground collision in Brazil. The helicopter was operating on a public road while traffic was passing both in front of and behind the aircraft.
Many operational procedures were in place to avoid such an accident. Unfortunat...
2023-02-1529 min
Flight Safety DetectivesA320 Elevator Damage Impacts Flight - Episode 152John Goglia and Todd Curtis discuss a recent event where an A320 lost part of its left elevator during takeoff in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The focus is on the differences in aviation safety systems around the globe, the challenges of tracking service bulletins on aircraft, and pilot decision making.
In this Jan. 29 flight, the flight control system was damaged and the aircraft was unable to make left turns. The aircraft continued to its destination and landed safely.
John and Todd discuss the crew's decision to continue the flight, the ability of the...
2023-02-0827 min
Flight Safety DetectivesExperienced Test Pilot Doomed by Severe Weather- Episode 151Even highly experienced pilots can be overcome by severe weather. Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss the fatal crash that took the life of famed test pilot Scott Crossfield. A thunderstorm boxed him in, leading to loss of control of his Cessna 210A.
John and Todd examine the weather information available to the pilot and to air traffic controllers. Failure to pay attention and communicate about the weather played a key factor in this air crash.
Crossfield was a famous test pilot with more than 11,000 flight hours. He was the first person to break Mach 2...
2023-02-0127 min
Flight Safety DetectivesFresh Analysis of Deadly Crash Involving Travis BarkerEpisode 88
The Flight Safety Detectives offer a fresh analysis of the 2008 crash of a Lear Model 60 in Columbia, South Carolina. Travis Barker was one of two passengers who survived the crash that killed the flight crew and two passengers.
Crew performance issues started long before the aircraft started takeoff. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis share a minute-by-minute analysis. They uncover issues with operations, briefing inadequacies and crew actions.
They dissect known issues with the tires used on the aircraft. John shares his maintenance expertise to provide insight into pressure leak down...
2021-10-061h 42
Flight Safety DetectivesFresh Analysis of Deadly Crash Involving Travis BarkerEpisode 88
The Flight Safety Detectives offer a fresh analysis of the 2008 crash of a Lear Model 60 in Columbia, South Carolina. Travis Barker was one of two passengers who survived the crash that killed the flight crew and two passengers.
Crew performance issues started long before the aircraft started takeoff. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis share a minute-by-minute analysis. They uncover issues with operations, briefing inadequacies and crew actions.
They dissect known issues with the tires used on the aircraft. John shares his maintenance expertise to provide insight into pressure leak down...
2021-10-061h 42