Flight Safety Detectives

A veteran crisis-communications expert and author of “Transport Management: Successes and Failures” (2026) joins the show. Linda Tavlin draws on more than 35 years of experience to discuss how transportation organizations—especially airlines—should communicate during major accidents and crises. 

Linda and John Goglia reflect on their long professional history, including work on major aviation disasters. They illustrate how poor communication during crises often worsens outcomes, while good communication can significantly reduce long-term damage.

Linda shares a story about two airlines she helped train. After both had major accidents, one airline followed her approach to communicating about the accid...

The European Aviation Safety Agency issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) on November 28, 2025, that ordered nearly 6,000 A319, A320, and A321 aircraft be grounded to check for a flight control computer issue. Todd and John recorded this show while gathering details about the grounding in real time.

The show was recorded as John gets phone calls and emails from colleagues during the show and Todd prepares for a television news interview. This episode shows how they gather facts and data on unfolding aviation safety events like ADs.

The affected aircraft had to be on the ground...

Recorded the day of the crash of a Cessna Citation earlier in the day that killed former NASCAR champion Greg Biffle, his family, and three others when the aircraft struck the ground just short of the runway and caught fire at the Statesville, North Carolina airport. The aircraft had taken off from the airport just a few minutes earlier and was attempting to land at the same airport.

The aircraft, a 1981 Cessna Citation, was owned by a company associated with Biffle. Biffle was a rated multiengine pilot, but it is not known whether he was also a...

Guest Xyla Foxlin focuses on how the FAA and the aviation community can better support mental health issues faced by pilots and other aviation professionals. Foxlin is an engineer and pilot who produced an award-winning video about pilot mental health.

Her aviation journey highlights include a Young Eagles flight that cemented her fascination with aviation, owning and maintaining a Cessna 140 that she has flown from coast to coast, a 2025 visit to Oshkosh and regaining her FAA medical certificate.

Foxlin discusses efforts with the Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC) to push the Pilot Mental Health in...

This recording of a live stream on November 26 gives additional insights and updates into recent issues in aviation safety. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith and John Goglia tackle viewer questions to correct mistakes and dig deeper into current accidents and incidents.

Hear more about:

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast servi...

Take a deep dive into the NTSB preliminary report of what happened when a taxiing Delta A350 struck and substantially damaged an Endeavor CRJ in Atlanta. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis examine the contributing factors, including crew distractions, limited visibility of the wingtip from the cockpit, and the layout of the taxiways.

This event was one of three incidents involving Endeavor Airlines CRJs in a little over a year. Two Endeavor Airlines CRJ aircraft collided on the ground at LaGuardia Airport in New York in October. There was also a crash during landing of an...

The perception of aviation safety risk is much higher than the actual data. Safety data expert Mike Borfitz helps John Goglia and Todd Curtis look at how misleading data is used to support misleading theories about the Air India 787 and other high-profile aviation disasters.

John and Mike highlight issues with reporting and documents related to the Air India accident. Learn the inside story on why some official-looking reports are inaccurate. 

Todd and Mike and both former Boeing engineers who used aviation data to analyze risk and support the manufacturing process. They discuss how Boeing and A...

A look at the facts provided in the NTSB preliminary accident report on the November 4, 2025, crash of a UPS MD-11F in Louisville, Kentucky. John Goglia, Todd Curtis and Greg Feith share their insider perspectives as they examine the details of this fatal plane crash.

Many online commentators have speculated on the cause of the crash and other details of the accident, only to be proven wrong by the facts provided by the NTSB. 

The accident has similar circumstances to the 1979 crash of an American Airlines DC-10 in Chicago. What is very different is the p...

Breaking news! The FAA has made significant changes to the policy on reporting Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP). UAP reports generated by air traffic controllers will use the acronym UAP instead of UFO, and controllers are required to provide specific information about the UAP in their reports.

Also in this episode, Todd Curtis and John Goglia discuss two 2025 fatal accidents in which pilot medical conditions may have been an issue. Todd and John discuss how aging brings issues that are a challenge for older pilots. 

The NTSB preliminary reports of the accidents under scrutiny do not i...

This recording of a livestream event covers many aviation safety topics, from designing aircraft for safety to mental health support for industry professionals to passenger responsibilities. Hear Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis tackle viewer questions with insight and candor!

Among the topics covered:

Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at yo...

In 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.<...

Greg 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...

A pilot who was attempting to satisfy FAA requirements for flying at night was killed in another preventable plane crash. The NTSB report of this 2018 high-energy impact into the ocean leaves several key questions unanswered.

The NTSB lists a probable cause that the Flight Safety Detectives just can’t support. They add this to a list of insufficient NTSB reports published in the last few years.

The pilot in command was flying at night with a passenger. He was required by the FAA to have performed three takeoffs and landings in the previous 90 days. According to...

A mission to collect crocodile eggs in Australia went horribly wrong after a series of errors. A R44 helicopter ran out of fuel and the pilot had to release an external sling carrying the person collecting the eggs, killing that person and injuring the pilot.

The helicopter was one of a group of helicopters participating in a reality show. The accident pilot passed on the opportunity to refuel on the way to the egg-collecting area, adding to several actions that led to the fatal accident. 

The accident report details events that began years before the a...

In 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.

Deferring maintenance can be deadly. The July 2024 fatal crash of a twin-engine Beechcraft Duke, which killed the pilot and both passengers, provides the perfect case to make this point. 

The aircraft had been idle for several months and had been exposed to weather including snow. The pilot was flying himself and his two passengers from upstate New York to Ohio. He did so despite airworthiness issues that included visible landing gear damage.

The left engine lost power and the pilot attempted to land at a nearby airport. The pilot lost control and crashed after attempting a...

Spotlight on the September 2024 fatal crash involving an Evolution Revo light sport weight shift aircraft (LSA). A CFI and student pilot were killed when the aircraft's wings folded and it entered a steep dive.

Todd Curtis and John Goglia explore questions not answered in the recently released NTSB report. How or why did the CFI miss the checklist item to attach a key support cable? Had the aircraft recently been transported? Was work done on the aircraft?

The aircraft uses hang-glider-like wings for lift. It relies on moving a control bar to shift the center...

Calling out inappropriate CFI behavior! John and Todd dig into the details of a fatal September 2023 accident involving a night training flight. The student's regular instructor was not available, and this was the first training with a different CFI.

The CFI’s actions were unprofessional and inappropriate. He uploaded posts to Snapchat before and during the flight. 

In a post uploaded prior to the flight, the CFI complained about how long the student took to do a preflight inspection. John Goglia reminds that a preflight inspection should take as long as necessary!

The CFI...

Viewer 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...

John 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...

What’s the latest with Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370)? The 777 disappeared over 11 years ago. John Goglia and Todd Curtis provide the latest details. 

They also look at a 2023 crash of a Robinson R22 helicopter in rural Australia. The evening flight ended in tragedy when the pilot was killed when the helicopter crashed into trees at about 88 knots.

The helicopter was not equipped for night flying and lacked an artificial horizon. The pilot relied on a lighted helipad for guidance but could not see it because of smoke in the area due to controlled burns. Despite mul...

August in flight safety: at least 40 reportable events in just 12 days. The Flight Safety Detectives have reason to believe the number of events is even higher.

Worse, the NTSB is putting out inadequate reports. They often provide the obvious cause and do not dig in to find the root cause. Significant questions are left with no answers. Greg Feith notes every accident has a safety lesson to learn.

The NTSB preliminary report for a fatal crash of a Piper J5 Cub that happened on the first of the month, was a situation where the aircraft...

The 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...

A Cirrus SR22T in North Carolina killed the pilot and his entire family. The known details of this July 2025 crash raise serious questions about pilot decisions throughout the flight.

The pilot was flying from Florida to North Carolina and ran into trouble early in the trip. The plane experienced electrical problems that worsened throughout the trip. Despite having opportunities to land at several airports, the pilot continued. The aircraft ran out of fuel and crashed a few miles from the destination, killing everyone on board.

Several pilot decisions increased the risk of the flight...

The 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...

We bring you to AirVenture 2025 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This annual event attracts hundreds of thousands of aerospace professionals, aerospace enthusiasts, and their families for a unique aviation experience.

John Goglia, Greg Feith, and Todd Curtis talk about the amazing quality and quantity of aircraft at the show. Hear about historical and cutting-edge aircraft on display and in flight and the people from across the aviation industry. The show provides an extensive hands-on education in aviation and aviation safety.

We take you there to hear about it all. Come enjoy Oshkosh with us!

...

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has issued an appeal to the public and the media to stop speculating about the cause of the Air India crash. This comes less than a week after the agency released a preliminary report that raises more questions than provides answers. 

The Flight Safety Detectives share this latest development in an investigation that has been poorly handled from the start.

The AAIB has raised many questions that they could and should answer. The preliminary report did not identify any issues with the engines or aircraft systems, leaving pilot decisions a...

A 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...

Former US Air Force and NASA Flight Surgeon Dr. Gregory Rodgers discusses first-hand experiences with the NASA space shuttle program. Among his efforts, he helped change NASA procedures that endangered shuttle crews. 

Among his efforts to improve space safety, Dr. Rogers tried to convince NASA to add a repair kit to Shuttle missions to deal with the ongoing issue of protective heat-resistant tiles being damaged during missions. Part of his effort was to write the book "Impact," a fictional novel about a shuttle that was severely damaged and unable to return to Earth. The book was published i...

Yesterday’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...

The preliminary report on the June 12, 2025, fatal crash of an Air India 787 is most notable for what is unstated, vague, and even misleading. The detectives start with the omission of who turned off the engines just after takeoff. Their list of unanswered questions grows from there. 

This crash appears to not be an accident, but rather an intentional act by at least one member of the flight crew. The engines were shut down shortly after takeoff. Although at least one pilot took actions to restart both engines, neither engine could generate thrust before the aircraft crashed less t...

India'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...

An update on the Air India crash investigation, with focus on the flight data recorders installed and recovered from the aircraft.

John explains the identical dual flight data and voice recorders installed on the plane. Viewer questions led to further investigation and clarification of the Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorders (EAFR) installed on the plane.

In other news, the NTSB has issued more than 30 findings related to the January 2024 Alaska Airlines door blowout event. The findings reveal how the manufacturing process of the Boeing 737 Max allowed a plug door to be reinstalled on the aircraft without...

AirVenture 2025 is approaching fast. With it comes the transformation of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, into the busiest airport in the world. Pilots flying in must be prepared for the unique air traffic procedures. 

In this episode, aviation experts Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia take us behind the scenes of the annual event and discuss the critical safety protocols all pilots must follow.

The team also revisits a powerful case study—the 2010 crash involving NASCAR legend Jack Roush. After a missed approach in his Beechcraft 390 Premier, Roush lost control and crashed. This incident underscores the importance of...

Greg 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...

Todd 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...

Greg 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...

Nathan Fielder needed an aviation expert for Season 2 of the series "The Rehearsal" so he tapped Flight Safety Detectives’ own John Goglia. John’s recommendations for how crew resource management (CRM) can reduce aviation accidents became the focus of the season.

John discusses how he was approached to be in the show, how he didn't have a clear idea of the direction it would take, and the unexpected reaction.

Season 2 of "The Rehearsal" addresses the role that enhanced CRM could play in reducing accidents. The tropic is explored in the context of comedy, absurdity, and simu...

Jim 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...

Recent 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. 

Add to this that there aren’t eno...

A 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.

Helicopters 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...

A 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.

...

An 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...

Todd 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...

Inflight 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...

The 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...

The investigation of a 2023 Beechcraft Bonanza in Brazil led to an unusual recommendation. The Brazilian authorities find that an engine trend monitoring program could have prevented the accident.

In this event, the pilot made a successful off-field landing after the engine failed. The investigation found that the failure was due to a leak in the mechanical pump and fuel controller.

The aircraft was on a relatively long flight in Brazil when the pilot diverted to an airport near his intended destination. The investigation found that the engine was operated beyond the manufacturer's suggested time between...

Travel 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...

An 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...

A 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...

The 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...

The 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...

Nick 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...

Details 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...

NASCAR 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. Duration: 00:33:48

Lax 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...

A 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...

Sailplane 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...

A 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...

Fire 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...

Is 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...

The first fatal HondaJet accident just occurred. Greg Feith and John Goglia go over the known facts of the air crash in Mesa, Arizona on November 5. 

The jet ran off the runway and struck a car on a nearby road, killing the driver and four of the five people on board the jet. They draw similarities with a 2014 takeoff accident involving a Gulfstream jet near Boston. 

Poor preflight preparation may be the biggest contributor to this deadly event. Greg and John share the simple tests and steps that can be the difference between a successful an...

A U.S. Army UH-1 Huey helicopter survived the perils of Vietnam but came to a disastrous end in West Virginia. The 1962 helicopter crashed after its engine failed, killing the pilot and five passengers.

The 2022 crash happened during an annual event that offers visitors an opportunity to fly either as passengers or as a second pilot. This helicopter was a warbird--a former military aircraft operating as a civil aircraft. It was operated under a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category.

Although the pilot in command had flown this same helicopter at the annual event...

Flight 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...

A 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...

Another 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...

Aviation around the world changed as a result of the fatal accident involving Air Canada Flight 797. The investigation led to massive changes to the materials inside the cabins of commercial aircraft.

On June 2, 1983, the DC9-32 on a routine flight from Dallas to Toronto had an inflight smoke event that led to an emergency landing in Cincinnati. As the passengers and crew began evacuating the aircraft, a flash fire in the cabin created heat and toxic smoke that killed 23 of the 46 occupants.

The NTSB investigation revealed that the fire caused the release of dangerous levels...

Two 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...

Fight 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...

A second-in-command pilot left the cockpit and either jumped or fell out of an open rear cargo door of a CASA 212 aircraft flying over North Carolina. Digging into the details reveals he was self-medicating for anxiety and he may have been overcome by agitation during flight.

In this 2022 event, the main landing gear was damaged when the plane that was supporting sky diving tried to land. The crew diverted to a larger airport for a second landing attempt. During that diversion, the second in command was visibly upset. He left the cockpit and either intentionally or accidentally...

The 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...

In March, a Mooney airplane door opened in flight, causing a loss of control and two fatalities. Todd and John examine this incident and three other Mooney events. Instead of a fault with Mooney aircraft, they find a pattern of very experienced pilots having issues and crashing when a passenger or baggage door opens in flight.

Doors open in flight often. The outcome depends on pilot action.

The pilot in the most recent crash had commercial and instrument ratings and nearly 800 hours of experience. Besides the door opening in flight, the NTSB found no other...

Get the highlights of the Experimental Aircraft Association's AirVenture 2024 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin! 

Hundreds of thousands of attendees attended the multi-day event. All sectors of aviation were represented, from the military to general aviation, from exotic and experimental aircraft to flight demonstrations by military and civilian aircraft. 

John Goglia attended once again this year and chatted with pilots, mechanics, elected officials, and aviation enthusiasts of every age. He met several people who regularly listen to the podcast, including some who offered ideas for future shows. 

AirVenture is a unique airshow experience, but there are opp...

What 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...

NASA'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...

Issues from the NTSB investigation of a 2023 railroad accident are used to discuss the voluntary party system. The system is designed to encourage cooperative efforts in an investigation, which does not always work.

In the party system, an organization or an individual with relevant expertise or information is invited to participate directly in an NTSB investigation. These parties are required to follow basic rules. They are expected to provide the NTSB information or expertise that helps the investigation and limit discussing details with the media and others not involved in the investigation.

In the NTSB...

A YouTube video showing fireworks fired from a low-flying helicopter at a speeding Lamborghini has led to federal charges for the creator. 

Suk Min Choi was charged in June by the U.S. Department of Justice with one count of causing the placement of an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft. At least four other people were involved, including two or three people in an apparent Robinson R44 helicopter and the drivers of two vehicles. 

Replicating a sequence from a video game, Choi presses a “fire missiles” button while people in the helicopter shoot firewo...

A 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...

Boeing should use a third-party organization that would act on behalf of the FAA to monitor the design and production of its aircraft. That’s the proposal of special guest and Kilroy Aviation CEO Mike Borfitz published in a June 28, 2024 editorial in Aviation Daily.

This kind of oversight had been provided in the past by Boeing employees who acted as the eyes and ears of the FAA. The process is based on FAA regulations created in 2005 that allowed manufacturers to create Organization Designation Authorizations (ODAs), groups of employees who were paid by the manufacturer and who worked fo...

Hypoxia 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.

...

Planes 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...

As Boeing continues to be the subject of investigations and congressional hearings the concept of criminalization has come to the forefront. This could have a devastating impact on aviation safety in the U.S. Special guest and aviation attorney Mark Dombroff focuses on efforts to criminalize the investigation of aviation accidents and incidents. 

The effort to use criminal prosecutions to address aviation safety issues in the U.S. would dramatically impact the process of getting to the facts, including making witnesses more reluctant to come forward with details. Criminalizing will make the safety investigation process more difficult a...

Missing 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...

The 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...

Training flight gone wrong! An examination of a February 2024 accident that involved an unstable approach, a tail strike, and a near collision with an airplane hanger.

Both the instructor and student involved in the Cessna 172 accident survived. Their account of the event provides insights into how a routine training flight turned into a near disaster. The instructor's decision-making created a dangerous situation.

Shortly before landing, ATC redirected the aircraft to a much shorter runway, and the instructor allowed the student to bring in the aircraft too high and too fast. The instructor then allowed the...

The 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...

Oil 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...

New 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...

Two Piper airplane crashes show that pilots’ bad decisions can have devastating results. This episode covers two avoidable fatal crashes. 

A 1991 accident involves a Piper Seneca in Florida. The NTSB found that the two occupants were partially disrobed and no evidence that either were wearing seat belts or shoulder harnesses. The report makes clear that the two occupants were attempting to join the Mile High Club.

In the second event, a Cessna 150 crashed in 2014 after the pilot took off at night with a very low ceiling. He was taking flash pictures. He crashed shortly after tak...

Coming 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...

Special 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...

Miles 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...

A 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...

A 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...

Home-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...

An 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...

More 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...

Todd 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...

Todd 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...