Features

After dropping off our Angel Flight West passenger we were climbing out of Henderson, Nevada. On the guard frequency (121.5) we heard a sound not heard before. We reported the transmission to Las Vegas Departure. The exchange went this way: Departure: “Does it sound like someone is playing a video game?” Me: “Actually, more like […]

One of the oldest jokes in aviation holds that the big fan is there to cool the cockpit: Whenever it stops unexpectedly, the pilot starts to sweat. Every aviator who’s had that experience can probably confirm a significant uptick in pulse and respiration. In the best case, that’s accompanied by a corresponding intensification of focus, […]

AVweb’s General Aviation Accident Bulletin is taken from the pages of our sister publication, Aviation Safety magazine. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause on the NTSB’s website at www.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after the […]

Accident Probe: Twin Training Just for my two bits worth: Many years ago, I was involved in a test program to defend Beechcraft in a lawsuit based on a spin/crash during training in a Beech 58 (non-turbo). We were at 10,000 feet over Borrego Springs (L-08), CA, where ground elevation close to 600 feet. At […]

One time on Halloween night I heard a pilot make a common mistake but have a little fun with it. Ramona Airport Tower: “Cirrus 12345, contact SoCal on 124.35.” N12345: “Cirrus 12345 going to So‑Cal 124.35.” N12345 (still transmitting on tower frequency): “SoCal, Cirrus N12345, 3400 climbing 4000.” Tower: “Cirrus, 12345 you are still on […]

The turn needle was probably the earliest attitude reference for instrument flying. It dates back about a hundred years and it provides an indirect indication of bank, which made it possible for pilots to control an airplane by reference to “needle, ball and airspeed.” We’ve come a long way since then. The instrument platform I […]

When I first started training to fly multi-engine airplanes, it was solemnly explained to me that there were a few things the CFI and weren’t going to do. Yes, we were going to do stalls, but only from 5000 feet AGL or more. They all would be straight-ahead and power-off to the pre-stall buffet, followed […]

Boeing 737 MAX Has anyone questioned Boeing, if the MCAS was never installed in the Max, would the aircraft still have been safe to fly? My goodness, how have thousands pilots around the world logged millions of flight hours without stalling an aircraft in the past? This entire Max story is a frustrating and needless […]

The long list of passenger guidelines in GA from the May OTA brought two things to mind: 1. Never let your passengers eat Cheetos. If they get sick, you cannot get the stain out. I have personal experience with this when my kids were younger! 2. Even in a private aircraft, you can lose luggage. […]

Becoming disoriented in flight is one of the most terrifying experiences pilots can have. In extreme cases, it leads to loss of control, controlled flight into terrain or even an inflight breakup. Less extreme experiences lead to pilot deviation or, more optimally and after the afflicted pilot is safely back on the ground, the expense […]