Features

All things being equal, accident data reflect that we pilots are pretty good at dealing with the risks involved with repeatedly causing inanimate objects to leave the ground, move through the air and land. Unfortunately, things are not always equal, and the factors that make us human, such as stress, distraction and impatience, can conspire […]

Heard while transitioning NorCal Approach airspace near Sacramento: Cessna 12345: (Broken, garbled transmission) NorCal: “I believe that was Cessna 12345; you’re coming in unreadable. Do you have another radio you can try?” (Pause) Cessna 12345: “NorCal approach, how do you read Cessna 12345 now?” NorCal: “Loud and clear now, your other radio was just static.” […]

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 […]

NTSB Asks FAA To Require CO Detectors For GA Aircraft Carbon monoxide is an insidious and deadly compound that disables and kills hundreds of people each year – mostly from poorly vented space heaters or home furnaces. Modern automobiles have much lower CO emissions due to their catalytic converters than our old air-cooled airplane engines. […]

One of the most common questions I received in the nearly seven years I was editor in chief at KITPLANES® was, “Why don’t you ever cover electric aircraft?” The answer we always gave was something like, “Well, when there is an aircraft that can be built by the average amateur that can carry more than one […]

If you are considering building a new homebuilt aircraft from a kit—or are thinking of buying someone’s completed homebuilt—this series maybe the most valuable hobby-related information you will ever read. That is because the hobby of building and flying your own full-size aircraft is likely to be a highlight of your life. Thousands of builder/pilots […]

I was flying from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Fargo, North Dakota, one evening recently. As we approached the Dakotas, it got rather quiet on Minneapolis Center. Predictably, after about 10 minutes of silence, somebody checked to make sure things were all well. Unknown aircraft: “Minneapolis Center. Still there?” Without a pause the controller responded: […]

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 […]

Sleepwalking To 100UL There are a number of things that can be done right now. One is alcohol free mogas availability. Overnight this will reduce the use of 100LL. My airport refuses to carry it so I tanker it in. It is available at the pump in premium grades 91/93, although my STC says it’ll […]

The Lear 35 medical-transport flight on which I was the captain had just departed Tampa International (KTPA) for Portland, ME (KPWM) carrying an elderly patient and his wife. It was a busy departure as we were already looking for deviations around the typical Florida summertime thunderstorms. The “pop”—accompanied by the sound of rushing air—came just […]