The NTSB excludes family members from its accident investigations. But it allows those who may have caused or contributed to a crash to participate. That’s an obvious conflict of interest. As a result, NTSB probable cause findings are not always impartial. Instead, they tend to favor the industry players. 
The industry players have long argued that, while they
There are obvious dangers inherent in events such as the Reno Air Races. The victims of the disaster were undoubtedly aware of those dangers and attended the event anyway. Does that mean they should not be able to file lawsuits to obtain compensation for their loss?
Not at all.
Granted, Life is Full of Risks
There are
Hall of Fame aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff says that it was just bad luck that Jimmy Leeward’s accident involved spectators.
At the speeds Leeward was moving, had the malfunction occurred four seconds earlier or later, or almost anywhere else on the course, it would have terminated in the desert. This was not an accident waiting to
Three Mooneys have crashed in two weeks. Each aircraft crashed on takeoff. Sadly, seven people were killed. Two of the accidents may have involved the "impossible turn."
First Crash: On July 5, a 1974 Mooney M20F (N7759M) crashed shortly after taking off from Watsonville, California. All four aboard were killed.
Second Crash
Running out of gas is a leading cause of piston aircraft engine failures. So you’d think that pilots would have zero tolerance for the shoddy fuel gauges installed in many aircraft, such as the ones installed in the Cirrus SR22. But instead, they tend to make excuses for the manufacturers. "It would be too expensive to make
Senator Leahy of Vermont is pushing for a law that would insulate volunteer pilot organizations (such as Angel Flight West) from liability for injury the organization’s pilots cause to its passengers. If the bill passes, it means that those injured by the negligence of an organization’s pilot would have no recourse against the organization. Rather
The EMS helicopter was returning to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport in Virginia, having dropped off a patient in nearby Charlottesville. Reports differ on whether the Cessna was departing the airport or returning to the airport for landing. The Cessna and the helicopter collided. Though the helicopter landed safely, both occupants in the Cessna were killed.
Steve Wilson argues that there are safety issues with Cirrus airplanes. First, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more prone than your typical Beechcraft to crashes in which the pilot loses control of the aircraft while maneuvering. Second, Wilson feels that the Cirrus is more susceptible to crashes involving inadvertent encounters with icing conditions.
Of course, the NTSB chalks up both of these types of accidents to pilot error, not to a fault in theContinue Reading Steve Wilson: “The Cirrus Airplane Has Serious Problems”
The NTSB hasn’t yet released its probable cause finding concerning the Pilatus crash at Butte, Montana that killed the pilot and his 13 passengers. But it has just made public its “docket.” The docket sheds some light on what may have been happening in the cockpit in the minutes leading to the crash.
The flight was bound for Bozeman. Suddenly, the pilot diverted to Butte, which was only marginally closer. Though the pilot never explained the reason for the diversion, the docket suggests that theContinue Reading Pilatus Crash at Butte: New NTSB Reports Show Pilot Under Stress
We’ve filed suit against Los Gatos real estate broker Karen Trolan (pictured), her husband Steve Trolan, and their company, Trolan Enterprises, as a result of the September 2009 plane crash that left the Trolans’ passenger, 14 year-old Marilyn Mitchell, seriously injured.
The Trolans were headed from Truckee Tahoe airport to San Jose. They needed very