Flight Safety

AVweb’s Flight Safety section offers in-depth coverage of aviation safety topics, including accident analyses, risk management strategies, regulatory updates, and pilot training insights. Designed for pilots, instructors, and aviation professionals, this section provides timely information to enhance situational awareness and promote best practices in flight operations.

General Aviation Accident Bulletin

AVweb’sGeneral Aviation Accident Bulletinis taken from the pages of our sister publication,Aviation Safetymagazine, and is published twice a month. All the reports listed here are preliminary and include only initial factual findings about crashes. You can learn more about the final probable cause in the NTSB’s website atwww.ntsb.gov. Final reports appear about a year after […]

Read More »

Ejection Seat Issue Grounds B-1B Fleet

The Air Force has temporarily grounded the entire B-1B fleet after an ejection seat mishap in May. A Lancer diverted to Midland, Texas, on May 1 and one of the ejection seat deployment hatches was missing when it landed. The seat did not fire, however, and all four crew used the belly stairway to leave […]

Read More »

FAA Developing Non-Radar Weather Tracking

The FAA is continuing to develop and expand its Offshore Precipitation Capability (OPC) system, which uses machine learning and image processing to estimate precipitation intensity and echo top heights in areas where Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) is not available. While not as precise as radar in identifying the location and intensity of precipitation—although with greater […]

Read More »

FAA Halts Flight Testing Of 100LL Replacements

The FAA has temporarily halted flight testing for its Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) unleaded 100LL replacement fuels program while issues related to the differences between the two PAFI fuels and 100LL are being assessed, according to a progress update issued by the FAA on Monday. “Both fuel producers, Shell and Swift, are currently evaluating […]

Read More »

Aviation Organizations Push For FAA Reauthorization

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) sent a letter to Congress on Monday urging the U.S. Senate to consider the FAA Reauthorization Act (S. 1405) as soon as possible. Both organizations expressed support for the bill in the letter (PDF), writing that “This comprehensive bill includes key FAA certification […]

Read More »

American Airlines Flight Encounters Severe Thunderstorm

American Airlines Flight 1897 was forced to make an emergency landing Sunday night after flying through a severe thunderstorm. The aircraft, which had departed from San Antonio heading for Phoenix, sustained significant hail damage to the windshield and radome. The A319 diverted to El Paso International Airport (ELP) and landed safely at approximately 8:03 p.m. […]

Read More »

Report: FAA Needs Better Drone-Safety Plans

The FAA needs to do more to improve its management of the safety risks of drones in the national airspace, according to a recent report (PDF) by the federal Government Accountability Office. The report said the FAA needs to collect better data on drone safety, and also needs to focus on risk management. “FAA officials […]

Read More »

GippsAero GA10 Destroyed In Test Flight

A GippsAero GA10 turbo Airvan was destroyed after a test flight on Monday when it crashed in the Mojave Desert, in southern California. Both pilots on board bailed out at about 5,000 feet AGL and landed safely under parachutes, according to news reports. Earle Boyter, a spokesperson for Mahindra Aerospace, the parent company of GippsAero, […]

Read More »

Flight School Association Revives Accreditation

While taking on debt isn’t without risk, it’s an option quite a few student pilots looking to start flight careers are examining. Loans remain one of the few ways to nail down the resources to see them through to earning their ATP. On that front, many college and university flight students have an advantage over […]

Read More »
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox

SUBSCRIBE