From the outset it looked to me as though the Kobe Bryant crash was a simple case of “continued VFR into IMC” — a crash caused by a pilot wandering into clouds and fog and losing control of the helicopter and crashing. The NTSB’s update seems to confirm just that. Here are the four important
Kobe Bryant Crash: Controlled Flight Into Terrain?
Helicopters come to grief all too often after encountering clouds or fog. In fact, it seems that it was an encounter with low clouds that lead to the fatal Safari Helicopter Crash on Kauai just a few weeks ago.
Fog can lead to a helicopter crash in two ways. First, the pilot can, upon encountering
FAA’s Approval of the 737 Max Questioned – But Why Now?
Both the Department of Justice and Transportation Department’s inspector general are investigating the FAA’s approval of the Boeing 737 Max and, in particular, the aircraft’s anti-stall system known as MCAS.
The FAA is supposed to ensure that Boeing aircraft are safe. Investigators want to know:
- Are the FAA and Boeing too cozy?
- Is the FAA’s
The Boeing 737 Max 8 Controversy Explained
The Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 was originally intended for short haul flights to short runways. One of the 737’s unique design features was that the engines were mounted on the underside of the wing, instead of in front of the wings on struts and pylons.
Mounting the
Atlas Air Flight 3591: Looking to EgyptAir Crash for Answers
EgyptAir Flight 990 departed JFK for Cairo. After reaching cruise altitude near Nantucket, it suddenly pitched down and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. There was no apparent reason for the crash. The NTSB ultimately concluded that the cause of the crash was the co-pilot’s “intentional actions.” Specifically, the pilot suddenly pushed the yoke forward and
Weight and Balance Issues in Riverside Cessna Crash?
The Cessna T310Q crashed shortly after takeoff. For clues into the cause of the crash, the press has focused on the fact that the pilot, Nouri Hijazi, had difficulty getting the engines started.
But what one witness had to say suggests that the plane was improperly loaded – specifically, it had too much weight in
Bogus Airplane Parts and a Cessna 182 Crash
A courageous client speaks to Stephen Stock about the risks to the flying public.
Miracle on the Hudson Immersive Video
It was seven years ago that Kas Osterbuhr put together a nearly courtroom-ready reconstruction animation of Flight 1549. At the time, there really was nothing else like it. With the movie coming out, Kas went back and updated his work. Next worst thing to being there.
No Mayday Call from Egypt Air Flight 804
Aviation expert Clive Irving suggests that, because the Egypt Air pilots made no mayday call, they must have been killed before the aircraft crashed. In other words, the crash was the result of terrorism rather than a mechanical issue.
Normally in a fire and smoke emergency the pilots would have time to don smoke
Pearl Harbor Helicopter Crash: Settling with Power?
Today a Bell helicopter crashed into Pearl Harbor near the Arizona Memorial. Reports are that everyone survived.
Some are saying the helicopter experienced engine failure. Unlikely. Instead, the pilot probably experienced "settling with power." That’s when the helicopter is forced down by the downdraft it creates with its own