Aviation Accidents in the News
February 21, 2010
Single Engine Plane Crashes into St. Louis-area House, Two On-Board Presumed Dead
Two people are presumed dead after the single engine plane they were in crashed into a house and a hangar just east of St. Louis on Sunday. According to authorities, the crash occurred as the Piper Malibu aircraft was approaching St. Louis Downtown Airport in light rain. A distress signal was never sent, authorities say. Miraculously, no one on the ground was hurt and there was nobody in the home at the time, as the occupants had gone out for dinner. The crash occurred in the Euro Estates Court subdivision, a neighborhood built for aviation enthusiasts. Authorities believe two people were aboard the plane according to the pilot's flight plan and relatives who confirmed that there was a passenger aboard. The fatal crash is under investigation.
February 18, 2010
Officials Believe Pilot Intentionally Crashed Small Plane into IRS Building
Officials are investigating whether a pilot who died after crashing his small plane into an office building in Austin, Texas, on Thursday, did so intentionally. Officials say that the pilot, 53-year-old Joseph Andrew Stack, was furious with the IRS, which has an office inside the building struck by the plane. The seven-story building erupted in a raging fire after the Piper Cherokee crashed into the lower floors at about 10:00 a.m. At least two people were taken to the hospital to treat unspecified injuries and one person in the building was unaccounted for. Stack had posted a suicide manifesto to a networking site earlier on Thursday which voiced his disgust with the IRS. Officials are saying this was an isolated incident and not an act of terrorism. The fire has been contained and the crash remains under investigation.
In a related incident, firefighters responded to a fire at Stark's home earlier on Thursday. A woman and her daughter (believed to be Stark's wife and stepdaughter) were rescued by a neighbor while the house became completely engulfed by flames.
February 17, 2010
Small Plane Crashes into Palo Alto Homes, Killing All Three People on Board and Causing Widespread Power Outage
A small plane crashed into a neighborhood in the city of East Palo Alto, California on Wednesday morning, killing all three people on board, damaging three homes, and causing a widespread power outage. The twin-engine Cessna crashed shortly after takeoff, striking high-tension power lines which caused power outages lasting up to 10 hours across the city. Three houses, including an in-home daycare center, were damaged by the debris of the destroyed aircraft which broke apart after hitting the high tension transmission tower. It is unclear what caused the fatal crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Nobody on the ground was seriously injured.
February 10, 2010
Pilot Killed and Cameraman Injured in Brazil TV Helicopter Crash
A television news helicopter crashed in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Wednesday, killing the pilot of the aircraft and seriously injuring a cameraman. The helicopter was filmed my another air news crew as it spun out of control and plummeted to the ground a few hundred yards away from one of the busiest highways in Sao Paulo. The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene and the other person on board, a cameraman, was taken to the hospital with serious head injuries. No one on the ground or on the busy highway was hurt. The pilot seems to have avoided a greater tragedy by maneuvering the doomed aircraft away from the highway moments before the crash. The helicopter was completely destroyed in the crash.
February 9, 2010
PBS "Frontline" to Air 1-Hour Story About Airline Safety Issues this Week
This Tuesday evening, the PBS network's award winning series "Frontline" will air a report on its investigation into the safety issues associated with outsourcing in the airline industry. The program, titled "Flying Cheap," will focus on the fatal crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407, which killed 50 people when it stalled and crashed into a home in Clarence Center, New York on February 12, 2009. The National Transportation Safety Board released a final report on the crash last week which detailed the tragic mistakes made by both the pilots at the helm of the plane and Colgan Air, the regional airline operating the doomed flight. During the hour-long program, Frontline will address these issues and investigate how this terrible tragedy could have been avoided. According to the network's website, the program will also "examine how well the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency responsible for overseeing safety of the airline industry, has been doing its job." The one-hour long program will run nationally on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 9P.M. ET on PBS.
February 8, 2010
Four Killed in Single Engine Plane Crash
A single engine plane headed to Fayatteville crashed in Washington County, Arkansas this weekend, killing two adults and two teenagers. According to investigators, the plane lost contact with the Fayetteville control tower before it plummeted to the ground around the Brentwod Mountain area of Winslow. There were no survivors. The cause of the crash is not known.
February 3, 2010
Veteran Pilot is Severely Injured After Crop-Dusting Helicopter Crash
A crop-dusting helicopter crashed in an almond orchard on Wednesday, leaving the pilot in critical condition. The crash occurred a few miles southeast of Escalon, California. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the crash and has moved the wreckage to a hangar at Modesto Airport for a thorough examination. The pilot, a 30 year veteran crop-duster from Stanislaus County, received very serious injuries, including a torn aorta, punctured lung, broken back and broken ribs.
February 2, 2010
NTSB Determines Captain's Inappropriate Reaction Caused Colgan Air Flight 3407 Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, which crashed into a home in Clarence Center, New York, on February 12, 2009, killing 50 people. The report, presented during a public NTSB board meeting in Washington on Tuesday, blamed the crash on the Captain's inappropriate response to the activation of the stick shaker which caused the plane to stall.The NTSB determined that the Bombardier DHC-8-400's stick shaker activated to warn the pilot of an impending aerodynamic stall. The captain then pulled aft on the control column when he should have pushed forward, which caused the aircraft to stall and plummet to the ground. A contributing factor to the crash, added the NTSB, was the flight crew's failure to recognize low speed cues on their flight display. Also at fault was Colgan Air's inadequate airspeed selection and management procedures in icing conditions.The NTSB has issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the future prevention of similar crashes. Among the recommendations were strategies to prevent pilot fatigue and crew monitoring failures. The NTSB also recommended better remedial training, stall training, pilot records and airspeed selection procedures. In addition, the Board addressed FAA oversight and use of safety alerts. The NTSB is expected to hold a public forum this Spring to further explore the issues encountered during the investigation of flight 3407's fatal crash.
January 25, 2010
Boeing 737 Plummets into Mediterranean near Beirut, All Aboard Feared Dead
An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-800 jet carrying 90 people crashed into the Mediterranean Sea minutes after taking off from Beirut on Monday. The aircraft, carrying 83 passengers and seven crew members, took off in stormy weather and disappeared from radar just minutes after take-off. According to the airline, the doomed Boeing 737-800 was an eight-year-old jet leased from CIT Aerospace, a division of U.S. commercial lender CIT Group. So far, over 20 bodies have been recovered. There is no report of any survivors.
January 21, 2010
Wreckage of Missing Plane Discovered in California with Two Bodies Inside
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, two bodies were discovered when the wreckage of a missing plane was found early Thursday morning. The Cessna 340 aircraft, which had gone missing earlier this week, was found roughly six miles from the Rialto Airport in San Bernadino County, California. According to the FAA the plane had departed from Henderson, Nevada, and was on its way to Compton, California when it disappeared. The two men found dead inside the wreckage have not been publicly identified. The crash is under investigation.
January 19, 2010
Settlement Reached in Iowa Helicopter Accident Lawsuit
A settlement resolving all issues was reached for a lawsuit over a fatal helicopter crash that occurred during a movie shoot in June 2006. Last year, a jury awarded $7.2 million to the widow of cameraman Roland Schlotzhauer, who was killed when the helicopter stuck a power line and crashed near Walford, Iowa. Two others aboard the helicopter, the pilot and a film producer, were injured. The terms of the recent settlement were not made public.
January 18, 2010
Four Killed in Ohio Plane Crash, Aircraft Model Under Scrutiny
A plane crashed at the Lorain County Regional Airport in Ohio on Monday, killing all four people aboard. The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2B, was approaching the airport when it slammed into the ground a few thousand yards short of the runway. Rescue workers rushed to the mangled wreckage but found no survivors. Among the dead were the pilot, co-pilot and two passengers; a Vermillion Township inventor and his wife. This is not the first time this aircraft model was involved in a fatal accident. According to a 2007 CNBC report, the MU-2B aircraft have been in 111 fatal crashes involving 330 deaths since its introduction in 1963. Also, in 2006, after several fatal crashes in Denver involving MU-2B aircraft, a Colorado legislator called for a congressional investigation into the model. Monday's fatal crash is under investigation.
January 14, 2010
Cessna Crashes into Power Substation in Connecticut, Killing the Pilot
A small plane crashed into a power substation in Oxford, Connecticut on Wednesday, killing the pilot and leaving thousands without power. Connecticut State Police believe that the low-wing Cessna overshot the runway and crashed into the substation before breaking into pieces. The pilot of the plane, 50-year-old John Foster of Maryland, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was the only person aboard the aircraft, authorities said. The power line and tower of the substation were damaged by the crash, temporarily cutting off power to about 5,800 people.
January 12, 2010
NTSB to Release Draft Report on Flight 3407 Next Month
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will release the first official report on its investigation into the crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 on February 2. Flight 3407, operated by Colgan Air, crashed in Clarence Center, New York in February of last year, killing 50 people. The report will outline the probable cause of the fatal crash as well as detail recommendations to prevent similar crashes in the future. The findings will then move to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA can then implement, modify or ignore the NTSB's recommendations.
January 11, 2010
PBS' "Frontline" to Investigate Crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407
The PBS network announced today that its award winning series "Frontline" will investigate the Feb. 12, 2009 crash of Continental Connection Flight 3407 in Clarence Center, New York, which killed 50 people. According to a network press release, the one-hour long program called "Flying Cheap" will focus on the fatal crash and "the rise of regional and low-cost carriers and whether the aviation system is being stretched beyond its capacity to deliver service that is both cheap and safe." The show will run nationally Feb. 9, 2010.
January 9, 2010
Ultralight Plane Crashes, Killing Two
An ultralight aircraft crashed in the Lake Isabella area in Kern County, California on Saturday. The two people aboard were killed. The aircraft seemed to suffer a mechanical failure at about 1,000 feet, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office, who also said the occupants were ejected from the plane before it hit the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the fatal crash.
January 8, 2010
Two Biologists and Pilot Injured After Helicopter Crashes in Ohio
A helicopter crashed in the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho on Friday, injuring three men. Two Idaho Fish and Game biologists and the pilot were injured when the helicopter's engine turned off as they were conducting a wolf predation research project. The Hughes 500 helicopter then crash landed on ice and rolled on its side. Medical helicopters were called to take the three men to an area hospital where they were treated for their injuries. The crash is under investigation.
January 6, 2010
Cargo Plane Crashes as it descends into Chicago Executive Airport, Pilot and Co-pilot Killed
A Learjet 35A cargo plane crashed as it made its final approach into Wheeling's Chicago Executive Airport on Tuesday, killing the pilot and co-pilot. The small aircraft was cleared to land when it plummeted into a forest preserve about a mile from the airport, with the fuselage ending up partly immersed in the Des Plaines River. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash and said they will focus on the plane, owned by Royal Air Charter of Waterford, Michigan. The two men killed were the only people on board the plane when it crashed.
January 5, 2010
Helicopter on Wildlife Surveying Flight Crashes in Sierra National Forest, Killing All 4 on Board
A California Fish and Game helicopter crashed in the Sierra National Forest in Madera County, California on Tuesday afternoon, killing all four men on board. Two longtime state biologists, a scientists' aide and the pilot were killed after the Bell 206 helicopter struck a power line and crashed in a narrow canyon near Redinger Lake. The crash sparked a fire that made the wreckage inaccessible for several hours. The men were surveying wildlife in the park during the routine aerial mission when the crash occurred. The helicopter was contracted from Landells Aviation of Desert Hot Springs. This is not the first Landells helicopter to crash in the area. In 2007 a Landells helicopter crashed during a deer monitoring trip, injuring those on board. The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate Tuesday's fatal crash.
January 4, 2010
Air France Settles 2005 Runway Mishap Lawsuits for $11.2 Million
Air France settled all of the class-action claims stemming from a 2005 plane crash which involved Air France Flight 358 which overshot a Toronto airport runway and burst into flames. No one aboard was killed but many were injured. A Canadian judge said Air France is to pay $11.2 million Canadian dollars to settle with the 184 passengers aboard that flight. The aircraft manufacturer Airbus S.A.S., as well as Goodrich Corp., the maker of the evacuation equipment on the jet, will pay an additional $1.65 million Canadian dollars to settle the claims against them.
January 1, 2010
FAA to Keep Close Eye on American Airlines After Three Botched Landings in one Month
American Airlines (AA) is now under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after the airline experienced three botched landings last month. On December 13, an MD-80 Aircraft operated by AA attempted to land in Charlotte, North Carolina when it veered off the side of the runway and struck the ground with its wingtip. On December 22, an AA Boeing 737 carrying 154 people overran the runway at Norman Manley International Airport in Jamaica stopping a mere 15 feet from the Caribbean Sea. Ninety-one people were injured. Finally, on December 24, another MD-80 operated by American also struck the ground with its wingtip as it landed in Austin, Texas. The FAA announced the review, which will involve increased scrutiny of the airline, on Friday, January 1, 2010.
December 22, 2009
Passengers Lucky to Survive After Plane Overshoots Runway
Two passengers were seriously injured when American Airlines Flight 331 skidded off the runway as it attempted to land at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, on Tuesday night. No one on board the Boeing 737-800 aircraft was killed during the mishap. There were a total of 148 passengers and six crew members inside the aircraft when it touched down during a rain storm and skidded on the slippery runway. The aircraft then barreled through a fence and crashed into a sandy embankment just short of the Caribbean sea. The left main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft's fuselage was significantly cracked during the accident. Both engines broke off on impact. Investigators for the FAA and NTSB have been sent to analyze the crash and determine what caused the plane to overshoot the runway.
December 21, 2009
New Rule Offers Passenger Protection During Long Tarmac Delays
The Transportation Department announced a new rule on Monday that allows passengers to deplane an aircraft that is delayed on a tarmac for more than three hours. Additionally, airlines are now required to provide food and water as well as operable lavatories if an aircraft is stranded on a tarmac for over two hours. The new rule is a reaction to cries for passenger rights after a nine month period this year saw 864 planes with passengers on board be delayed on tarmacs for over three hours. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the rule will become effective in 120 days.
December 16, 2009
NTSB Will Open Public Docket on Overflight Mishap of Northwest Airlines Flight 188
The National Transportation Safety Board released an advisory announcing that it will open the public docket on its investigation into the October 21, 2009 Northwest Airline overflight event. The mishap occurred when Northwest Airlines Flight 188, an Airbus A-320, overflew that Minneapolis airport by more than 100 miles. The public docket will be available on the NTSB's website on December 16 at around 10:00 a.m.
December 16, 2009
FAA Inspector and Pilot Injured in Helicopter Emergency Landing
A helicopter made an emergency landing in Maui, Hawaii, on Wednesday, injuring a Federal Aviation Administration safety inspector. The FAA inspector and a tour helicopter pilot suffered minor injuries when the chopper, operated by Sunshine Helicopters, experienced mechanical problems and made an emergency landing on a Maui shoreline near the town of Hana. The accident occurred during a routine, annual commercial pilot proficiency check. The accident is under investigation.
December 10, 2009
Flight Instructor and Student Killed in Ventura County Plane Crash
A single-engine plane crashed in Ventura County, California, on Thursday, killing a flight instructor and a student. The aircraft, a two-seat Piper Tomahawk registered to Aviation Pacific, Inc., crashed in the town of Ojai about an hour after taking off from Camarillo Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the fatal crash.
December 10, 2009
Crash Victims' Families Outraged Over FAA Stance on Airline Safety
The Families of Continental Flight 3407, a group formed after the crash near Buffalo in February 2009, chastised remarks made by FAA administrator Randolph J. Babbitt before the Senate aviation subcommittee on Thursday, December 10. In his testimony, Babbitt said the FAA was more interested in enhancing its existing pilot certificate system than increasing the number of flight-time hours for entry-level pilots. The family victims' group fears that Babbitt's comments could hinder legislation that would require higher flight-time requirements for pilots. Right now, entry-level pilots are required to have 250 hours of flight time, a number that is alarmingly low according to some aviation experts. A bill passed in the House in October will mandate that requirement be pushed up to 1,500 hours of flight time for entry-level pilots. The bill is awaiting its turn on the Senate floor after delays due to the focus on health care reform.
December 9, 2009
Private Contractor Posted TSA Airport Screening Manual Online, Napolitano Confirms
Janet Napolitano, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary, confirmed on Wednesday that a private contractor inadvertently posted the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) airport screening procedures manual on the Internet. Napolitano added that her department is conducting an investigation into how such a massive security breach occurred. Among the sensitive security information released were sample CIA, Congressional and law enforcement credentials as well as detailed airport screening procedures. Some state officials are outraged and have said that this information could be used as a "road map" to those that want to do us harm. Napolitano insists, however, that the security of the public has not been placed at risk.
December 8, 2009
Jury Awards $7.1 Million to Family of Passenger Killed in 2006 Plane Crash
A jury has awarded $7.1M to the family of Bryan Keith Woodward, a passenger killed when Comair Flight 5191 crashed in Kentucky in 2006. Woodward was one of 49 people killed when Flight 5191 crashed after taking off from the wrong runway at Blue Grass Airport in Kentucky. An investigation found that the runway used was too short for commercial jets, and the pilots failed to notice they were on the wrong runway. This has been the only Flight 5191 case to reach trial. All other cases settled. The family also plans to sue Comair for punitive damages for its alleged gross negligence during a separate jury trial expected to take place in a few months.
December 4, 2009
Boeing Urges Airlines to Retrofit Engine Thrust Reversers on 777 Jets
Boeing has released a service bulletin urging airlines to begin replacing the thrust reversers on the engines of wide-body 777 jets. Thrust reversers are used to help slow planes on landing. According to Boeing, there is a potential for excessive heat damage that could deteriorate the inner wall of the thrust reverser. There is no word yet on how much the retrofit will cost.
December 1, 2009
Federal Pilot Fatigue Proposal Delayed
The FAA has decided to push back the release of a proposal addressing pilot fatigue to early 2010. The proposal was expected to have been put in place later this year. The delay was announced at a Senate hearing on Tuesday along with details regarding the agency's anti-fatigue effort. One such detail shocked and angered the chairman of the Senate's Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee, Senator Byron L. Dorgan (D-ND). The FAA's proposal will not ban pilots from commuting on red-eye flights the night before flying in the cockpit. The co-pilot at the helm of doomed Continental Connection Flight 3407, which crashed near Buffalo in February, killing 50 people, had herself traveled on a red-eye flight before going to work that day. Although the final report on the accident has not been released, investigators have said that pilot error and pilot fatigue contributed to the fatal crash. "What I don't quite understand is that when we finish this whole process, nothing will have changed with respect to the circumstances that existed in that cockpit regarding fatigue," said Sen. Dorgan at Tuesday's hearing.
November 30, 2009
FAA to Delay Fixing Plane Engines Vulnerable to Icing, Despite Safety Warnings
The FAA has delayed replacing two parts in the engines of Boeing 777 aircrafts until 2011, despite repeated warnings by the NTSB and the Air Line Pilots Association of potential vulnerability to icing. According to safety experts, the engines in more than 130 Boeing jets are at risk of ice buildup in certain rare conditions. The FAA ignored these warnings, saying that the safety measures for the planes are sufficient, at the moment, to prevent any dangerous mishaps. Industry sources say that one reason for the later deadline is the limited availability of the Rolls-Royce engine parts.
November 29, 2009
Plane Crashes in Florida, Killing Two People Onboard
Two people were killed when a single-engine plane crashed in Plant City, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. Witnesses reported seeing the plane flying low to the ground before it sputtered and nose-dived into the backyard of a home. The only two occupants in the aircraft perished. No one on the ground was hurt.
November 28, 2009
Glider and Small Tow Plane Collide in Mid-Air, Both Pilots Killed
A Schleicher ASW 27 glider and a Piper 25 tow plane collided on Saturday morning at Crazy Creek Air Adventures in Middletown, California. Each pilot was killed in the mid-air collision, which occurred as both aircraft were approaching the same runway from different directions. Aviation officials were at the scene on Monday combing through the wreckage. A final report on the crash is expected in a bout six months.
November 24, 2009
Captain of 2005 Charter Jet Crash Charged with Fraud
The captain of a charter jet that crashed four years ago has been charged with fraud and lying to investigators. The crash occurred in 2005, when the aircraft failed to properly take off from Teterboro Airport and then crashed into a warehouse, injuring 20 people. Captain John Kimberling is now believed to have bee a part of a plot by Platinum Jet Management, the company he flew for, to save money by lying about the aircraft's weight in order to overload it with cheap fuel. Prosecutors allege that the overloading of fuel caused the accident.
November 23, 2009
Smaller Commuter Planes will get Enhanced De-Icing Systems, FAA Says
On Monday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced their plan to retrofit small commuter airplanes with enhanced de-icing systems. The proposed rule will require planes weighing less than 60,000 pounds after takeoff, mostly small turboprops and regional jets, to be equipped with improved ice-protection systems installed within the next two years. The FAA said the rule applies to 1,866 planes and it will cost operators about $5.5 million to implement.
November 20, 2009
British Airways Passengers Sue Boeing for Crash Landing
Boeing is being sued by 10 passengers aboard a British Airways flight that crash landed at Heathrow Airport in January 2008. The crash landing occurred when the Boeing 777 aircraft, carrying 152 passengers, ran low on fuel flow to its engines as it came in to land. Everyone on board survived the crash. UK officials have yet to release a final report on the accident but a preliminary report suggests the possibility of ice accumulation in the plane's fuel system. The lawsuit claims that the aircraft was defective and that Boeing is responsible for the mishap.
November 19, 2009
FAA Proposes new Rule to Partially Shut "Revolving Door"
After years of criticism, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that they will partially close the so-called "revolving door" between the agency and the nation's airlines. The revolving door refers to the movement of employees between the airlines and the FAA. The proposal suggests that safety inspectors leaving the agency be barred from working at airlines that they have regulated for two years after leaving the FAA. The proposal will not, however, restrict any top level regulators from moving through the same door. Public comment on the rule is open until Feb. 10, after which the FAA is expected to finalize its proposal.
November 17, 2009
Twin Engine Plane Crashes on Take-Off
A twin-engine light aircraft crashed during take-off from Fort Worth airfield in Texas on Tuesday. Only the pilot was aboard the Piper PA-34 aircraft and he escaped the crash with no injuries. According to the pilot, the aircraft's nose trim malfunctioned shortly before the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident.
November 16, 2009
Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of DJ AM's Estate
The estate of DJ AM (real name Adam Goldstein) has filed a lawsuit claiming that the charter company responsible for a plane crash that the celebrity Disc Jockey was involved in back in 2008 is also responsible for his recent death. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed against the charter company responsible for the Sept 2008 South Carolina crash which badly burned Goldstein. The DJ died this past summer from an accidental overdose of drugs. According to the complaint, the accident and the burns it caused led Goldstein to take various drugs which ultimately led to his death. Before the accident, the DJ had been sober and clean from drugs.
November 16, 2009
FAA Splits Airspace Over Hudson River
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced a plan to divide the airspace over the Hudson River into two separate zones. The decision comes at the heels of a deadly collision between a small plane and a sightseeing helicopter which killed nine people. The airspace will be split into low-altitude local traffic zone and a higher altitude zone for long-distance flights. The changes are expected to take effect on Thursday, November 19.
November 14, 2009
FAA Investigates Single Engine Plane Crash
The Federal Aviation Administration has begun its probe into a fatal plane crash that occurred in San Gabriel, California. The single-engine aircraft crashed on Saturday, November 14, killing the pilot. Federal Authorities are looking into a post crash fire that could have been the cause of the fatality.
November 13, 2009
NTSB Warned FAA of Problems with Airplane Involved in Numerous Fatal Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board has released an advisory regarding an experimental airplane that was involved in another fatal accident. Last April, the NTSB urged the Federal Aviation Association to ground the aircraft, a Zodiac CH-601XL, after a flight control problem was linked to six accidents that killed a total of ten people. The most recent crash occurred on November 6 near Agnos, Arkansas. The sole occupant of the aircraft, the pilot, was killed.
November 8, 2009
Two Young Boys and their Grandfather Killed in Plane Crash
A 60-year- old man and his two grandsons, 12 and 13 years old, were instantly killed when the Beechcraft Bonanza plane they were in crashed in Comal County, Texas, on Sunday. The grandfather was piloting the aircraft. FAA spokesman said that the plane disappeared from radar without emergency transmission before it crashed. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were rainy with limited visibility. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.
November 5, 2009
Medical Helicopter Crashes in Reservation, Injuring 2
Two people were injured when a Native Air medical helicopter on a training flight crashed as it was landing at the San Carlos Indian Reservation in Arizona on Wednesday night. The 2 people injured remained hospitalized on Thursday. The FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash.
November 4, 2009
FAA Chief Calls for Refocus on Professionalism in the Cockpit
Aviation is facing an "extreme need to refocus on professionalism" said FAA Administrator Randy Babbit, who cited Northwest Flight 188 which overshot the Minneapolis airport by over 150 miles, as the most recent example of unprofessionalism amongst regional pilots. Babbit used the tragic regional airline crash over Buffalo that claimed 50 lives earlier this year as another example. Pilot error is believed to have caused that plane to plunge to the ground.
November 2, 2009
NTSB Begins Investigation Into Fatal Plane Crash
On Friday, October 30th, a Cessna 310 crashed into a home in Gwinnett County, Georgia, killing the pilot and a woman inside the home. The home was engulfed in flames and completely destroyed. NTSB investigators combed through the wreckage on Monday trying to piece together the events that lead to the fatal crash. Authorities said the investigation could take months
October 26, 2009
Pilots Who "Lost Track Of Time" While On Personal Laptops Lose Their Pilot License
Federal investigators reported that the pilots flying the plane that overshot the Minneapolis Airport by 150 miles were using their personal laptops in the cockpit during the flight, a violation of airline policy. The pilots told NTSB investigators that they "lost track of time" because one was tutoring the other on a new scheduling system put in place by Delta Air Lines after they bought Northwest last year. A week following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that they had revoked both the Captain and First Officer's pilot licenses.
October 22, 2009
Air New Zealand apologizes for crash 30 years later
Air New Zealand issued a public apology for an aviation disaster that took 257 lives 30 years ago. New Zealand's national carrier also unveiled a memorial dedicated to the nation's deadliest air disaster, which occurred when a DC-10 crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica on November 28, 1979. Rob Fyfe, Air New Zealand Chief executive stated that it was his hope the apology would make up for "many of the gaps and failings that occurred in the days, months and years" following the tragedy. Fyfe, however, did not apologize for the actual accident, which was attributed to pilot error and faulty navigational computers. The airline had also been accused of covering evidence at the time during a sub-judicial inquiry and investigation of the crash.
October 19, 2009
U.S. Surviving Families of Those Killed in Air France Crash Sue Airbus and Others
A lawsuit was filed against Airbus SA and others on behalf of surviving family members of eight of the 228 passengers killed when Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic ocean in June. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified compensation and claims that the Airbus that crashed was "defective and unreasonably dangerous." Other defendants listed in the complaint include aircraft parts makers Honeywell International, General Electric Co, Rockwell Collins Inc, Thales SA and chip maker Intel Corp.
October 16, 2009
Eminent Wolf Biologist Gordon Haber is Killed in Plane Crash
Eminent wolf biologist Dr. Gordon Haber was killed after the Cessna 185 plane he was in crashed in a remote area of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. The pilot of the aircraft survived the crash and walked approximately 20 miles before he found help and was able to call authorities. The aircraft was significantly damaged by the impact and post crash fire.
October 13, 2009
Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Comair Plane Crash Widow
A federal judge has ruled in favor of a widow whose husband was killed in the 2006 Comair Flight 5191 plane crash in Lexington, Kentucky. Following a landmark ruling, the judge decided that Jaime Herbert of Louisiana can sue for the loss of her husband's physical and emotional companionship, also called loss of consortium. Kentucky law had previously stated that a surviving spouse could only sue for this type of loss if their spouse was incapacitated, but not if they had died.
October 8, 2009
Federal Official Says Helicopter that Crashed Lacked Safety Equipment
A medical helicopter crashed in South Carolina in September, killing three crew members. Now authorities are saying that the aircraft lacked safety features recommended by experts. An NTSB spokesman explained that the helicopter lacked certain night-vision equipment that would have warned the pilots that it was flying too close to obstacles. The reason for the crash is being investigated and has yet to be determined.
October 8, 2009
Air Traffic Controller Joked About Dead Cat Moments Before Hudson Crash, FAA Says
The Federal Aviation Administration has released a report confirming that an air traffic controller was involved in inappropriate conversations over the telephone moments before a small plane and helicopter collided over the Hudson River in New York. According to the FAA the air traffic controller was joking to a woman about a dead cat when the Piper Saratoga PA-32 plane crashed with a helicopter carrying mostly tourists over the Hudson River on August 8. All aboard both aircrafts, a total of nine people, were killed.
