Eddie Andreini’s plane slid to a stop at show center and caught fire. Eddie was trapped inside. The crowd watched, prayed, and waited for fire trucks to arrive. Some bystanders wanted to rush to the plane to help Eddie get out, but the announcer warned everyone to stay back and "let the firefighters do their
Record Jury Award Against Airplane Mechanic Faride Khalaf
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
6 Ways an Aircraft Owner Can Be Liable for an Accident When Someone Else Was Flying
Here are six ways an aircraft owner can be found liable even if he was not on board when the plane crashed:
- Vicarious liability for acts of permissive user. In many states, an aircraft owner is liable by statute for any injury caused by a pilot who was flying the aircraft with the owner’s
Eddie Andreini Accident: Air Force Documents Reveal Travis Officials Confused by Air Force Regulations
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
GAMA Responds to USA Today Claims re Post-Crash Fires
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
Air Force Hides the Ball on Andreini Crash Response
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
The Risk of Automation in the General Aviation Cockpit
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
USA Today: Cover-ups Mask Roots of Small-Aircraft Crashes
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
NTSB Faults Aircraft Owner for Running Engine Past TBO
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
Another Look at “The Impossible Turn”
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