Dr. Ken Gottlieb’s Cessna 182 took off from Napa Airport with only Dr. Gottlieb aboard. As the Cessna climbed from the runway, it turned in the wrong direction. It collided with high terrain just north of the airport. Dr. Gottlieb was killed on impact. His body was ejected and the aircraft exploded and burned.
The
Here are six ways an aircraft owner can be found liable even if he was not on board when the plane crashed:
Airport fire trucks must get to a burning plane within three minutes if they are going to save any lives. That’s the maximum response time allowed by the National Fire Protection Association, the organization that sets the standard for airport firefighters, including those working at U.S. Air Force bases.
The survivable atmosphere inside an aircraft
USA Today ran Thomas Frank’s story on the unnecessary risks posed by post-crash aircraft fires. According to Frank’s article, small aircraft fires have killed at least 600 people since 1993, burning
them alive or suffocating them after otherwise survivable accidents. Hundreds more have survived post crash fires but have been horribly burned.
I’ve written
Hall of Fame Aerobatic pilot Eddie Andreini died during the "Thunder Over Solano" air show at Travis Air Force Base in May. There was a mishap during his routine, and his Stearman biplane slid to a stop on the runway. Eddie wasn’t hurt, but he was trapped in the plane. He radio’d for help.
The
I just returned from the American Association for Justice‘s annual convention in Baltimore, where 
I spoke on the risks automation poses to the general aviation pilot. As luck would have it, my autopilot failed departing San Carlos, so I ended up hand flying coast-to-coast. No “deskilling” happening here.
Automation risk has become a popular
A few hours ago, USA Today published a lengthy investigative report devoted to small aircraft crashes. The conclusion: aviation manufacturers have long concealed the fact that their defectively designed products cause aircraft crashes and injures. And the investigating agencies, including the NTSB and FAA, let them get away with it.
The report covers many of
Aircraft engine manufacturers recommend that owners overhaul their engines when the engines have accumulated a set number of flight hours. Depending on the make and model, the "Time Between Overhaul" ranges from 1200 to 2400 hours. No regulation requires the general aviation aircraft owner to comply with the manufacturer’s recommended TBO. As far as the
When the engine quits just after takeoff, the pilot has few options. One is to attempt to turn around and try to land at the airport. It’s such a difficult maneuver that it’s often referred to as “the impossible turn.” I’ve written about the “impossible turn” before. AvWeb’s Paul Bertorelli takes another look at
The Cirrus SR20 burst into flames on impact. The pilot’s wife died inside. The pilot escaped from the wreckage, but died from his burn injuries in the hospital.
Some say that a properly designed aircraft should not catch fire in an otherwise survivable accident. We know this crash was survivable, because the pilot was