Insight and Commentary on aviation accidents and the law
NTSB preliminary reports do not draw conclusions as the cause of a crash. But the NTSB’s preliminary report of the Turbine Otter crash that killed 9 near Ketchikan on June 25 suggests a weather-related “CFIT” crash, exactly as described here.
First, the report indicates that the flight was conducted under Visual Flight Rules. That means…
We don’t know much yet about the plane crash in Alaska that killed the pilot and 8 tourists from the MS Westerdam. But the crash looks eerily similar to the Alaskan crash that killed Senator Ted Stevens and three others in 2010.
Like the plane that was involved in the Westerdam crash, the plane…
Early news reports described the pilot in the Senator Stevens crash as a hero. According to the reports, the fact that there were any survivors at all is a testament to his flying skills.
I disagreed. (See Pilot in Senator Stevens Crash a Hero?)
As I saw it, the pilot took off in poor weather. When…
The pilot of the Otter that crashed in Alaska on Monday, killing Senator Stevens and three other passengers, encountered some very bad weather. Low ceilings. Fog and rain. Gusty winds.
Rugged terrain only complicated things. Fortunately, the pilot had tons of experience — tens of thousands of hours. According to the Alaska Dispatch, had any less talented pilot…