The NTSB hasn’t yet issued its report on the fatal Skylife air ambulance crash in December 2015. But a Fresno judge has ruled that regardless of the cause, the family of one of the paramedics on board will not be allowed to sue either the operator of the helicopter (Rogers Helicopter) or the helicopter’s
Bogus Airplane Parts and a Cessna 182 Crash
A courageous client speaks to Stephen Stock about the risks to the flying public.
SkyLife HEMS Crash and Weather
The SkyLife Bell 407 air ambulance helicopter departed from Porterville Airport at 6:52. It crashed minutes later, halfway into its 50 mile flight to San Joaquin Hospital in Bakersfield. The four aboard 
will killed, including the patient being transported.
The flying conditions at Porterville were acceptable. Though it was dark, the weather was 3300
overcast
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
Paint Job a Clue to Brentwood Glasair Crash?
The owner of the Glasair III had finished painting the aircraft just before the fatal flight that killed him and his passenger near Byron, according to his ex-wife.
[Behne] had just finished painting the plane at his private airstrip when he and a friend went on the ill-fated flight. "He wanted to get it up and
Helicopter Crash Leads to $10 Million Jury Verdict
Power lines can be virtually invisible from the air. The trick to avoiding them is, paradoxically, not to try to find them. Instead, the pilot should look for the towers from which they are strung. Once the pilot has the towers in sight, he should choose one and fly directly over it, rather tha
n between them.
Tesla Crash Case: Why Wasn’t Tesla Sued?
That’s the question I’m asked most often about the case filed by the family of the passenger lost in the Tesla plane crash.
The reason T
esla wasn’t sued is simple. Neither a passenger nor his family is allowed to sue an employer for a work-related injury or death. Instead, they are stuck with the meager workers’ compensation
Tesla Crash Lawsuit: Pilot Negligent for Taking Off in Low Visibility Conditions
The family of one of the Tesla employees lost in last year’s Cessna crash at East Palo Alto has filed suit against the estate of the Cessna’s pilot. The suit alleges that the pilot’s decision to takeoff in foggy conditions was negligent.
The air traffic controller told [the pilot]: "The runway is not visible so
Robinson R44 Design Defect Leads to Post-Crash Fires
Robinson Helicopter Company has long touted the crashworthiness of its helicopters. An excerpt from Robinson Safety Notice SN-10, which dates back to 1982:
The R22 and R44 have demonstrated excellent crashworthiness as long as the pilot flies the aircraft all the way to the ground . . .The ship may roll over and be severely
Cirrus Crash Near Agua Dulce: Pilot Not Instrument-Rated
An instrument rating entitles a pilot to legally navigate an aircraft when the weather is bad enough that he can’t see outside. A pilot who is not instrument-rated must always stay out of the clouds. If the weather is such that he can’t do that, he must stay on the ground.
The training required to obtain an instrument rating is extensive. In most cases, it takes a pilot longer and costs him more to obtain the rating than it did for him to get his pilot’s license in the firstContinue Reading Cirrus Crash Near Agua Dulce: Pilot Not Instrument-Rated