NTSB News Talk – Aviation Accidents, Safety Investigations & Pilot Lessons

Episode 40 examines a wide range of recent accidents before focusing on a troubling pattern: pilots flying with impairing OTC medications or drugs in their systems.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark begin with a fatal nighttime crash of C-GPTX, a Cessna 172 in Saskatchewan and the runway overrun of Eclipse 500 N816KD at Auburn, California. They also discuss Beech Travel Air N529RB, which was flown in repeated low-level circles about 100 feet above the Pacific before crashing into the ocean, raising the possibility of an intentional act.

Preliminary reports include Piper Seneca N212ML, lost near the Bahamas in convective weather; C-IFBY, a Para-Ski VX powered parachute carrying three people even though its U.S. operation did not qualify under Part 103; and Lake Amphibian N6185V, which apparently ran out of fuel just miles from Ithaca.

Final reports include a fatal VFR-into-IMC accident involving N9626K, a Piper PA-28 and the crash of Ameriflight Beech C99 N130GP after a partial engine-power loss.

The episode closes with four fatal-accident reports involving the active ingredients in Benadryl and Zyrtec, or cyclobenzaprine, cannabis, or morphine. The takeaway is simple: “over the counter” does not mean “safe to fly,” and pilots need to understand the FAA’s medication waiting-period guidance. Max also explains why medication effects can undermine a pilot’s own self-assessment.

New information from the NTSB is filling in the final seconds of the Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 crash in Miami. The agency’s summary of the cockpit voice recorder shows repeated concerns about excessive speed, followed by touchdown and then, 16 seconds later, a call for a go-around. The brakes were released at a ground speed of 120 knots and go-around thrust was applied before the attempt was abandoned. Recorded data showed no indication that the speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed.

Max Trescott also revisits his ADS-B analysis of Flight 7598 and explains why he believes an automation surprise involving the Boeing 767’s vertical modes may have contributed to the airplane becoming high and fast.

Then Max and Rob Mark examine the fatal KNBC AS350B2 helicopter crash in Los Angeles, including ADS-B evidence and reports of a possible low-rotor-RPM warning.

Other accidents include N734ZK, a Cessna 172N crash at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport, N9485P, a fatal Piper Comanche accident at a short Alaska runway, N93R, a Lockheed 12A that took off with full flaps, a fuel-exhaustion accident involving N413AW, a Pipistrel Alpha, and N188PC, a Pilatus PC-12 loss of control in IMC.

The episode closes with a story from the NASA ASRS Callback newsletter about a Cirrus pilot’s successful recovery from a dangerous distraction in instrument conditions.

An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 crashes after overrunning Runway 30 at Miami International Airport—and ADS-B data contains an important clue about how the approach became unstable.

In this episode, we analyze the September 6 crash of Prime Air Flight 7598, operated by 21 Air with Boeing 767 N1997A. The flight from San Juan initially followed an almost perfect three-degree approach toward Miami. But approximately five miles from the runway, the aircraft unexpectedly leveled near 1,600 feet.

The ADS-B data shows that 1,600 feet had been entered as the selected altitude much earlier in the descent. That raises the possibility of an automation surprise, although another possibility is that the crew leveled inadvertently after disconnecting the autopilot to hand-fly.

The crew then attempted to recover using a descent approaching twice the normal glide angle. The 767 crossed the displaced threshold around 175 knots, apparently touched down near 160 knots, and was still traveling about 110 knots when it left the runway.

We also examine a fatal PC-12 spatial-disorientation accident, new evidence of helicopter wake turbulence in a Cessna 150 collision, and a troubling student-pilot night CFIT accident involving a CFI cross-country endorsement.

FAA No Go Over the Counter Medications List

In Episode 37 of NTSB News Talk, Max Trescott and Rob Mark examine new evidence from the fatal Learjet 55 air ambulance crash in Philadelphia and several other accidents with important lessons for pilots.

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The Learjet 55 departed Northeast Philadelphia Airport at night into a roughly 400-foot overcast. Newly released NTSB docket material shows the aircraft initially beginning its assigned right turn before slowly rolling left. The exceptionally gradual roll raises the possibility of somatogyral illusion—a form of spatial disorientation in which the inner ear may fail to detect slow rotational movement. Investigators also examined somatogravic illusion, cockpit workload, pitch trim, and the captain’s previous training history. Both engines appeared to be producing takeoff power, making an engine failure less likely.

Max and Rob also discuss two wrong-runway landings near Chicago that illustrate continuation bias and task saturation.

Other accidents include a Cirrus Vision Jet striking a pipe across a closed portion of a runway at Driggs, Idaho; a fatal Cessna 150 collision with a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter; N1850N a Beechcraft Duchess accident during simulated single-engine training; and a photographer fatally struck by the wing of glider N8217W. Also, two wrong-runway landings near Chicago, N772MR (Envoy 3936) and N1128M Learjet 60.

Those final incidents highlight a recurring human-factors problem: once pilots commit mentally to a plan, contradictory evidence can become surprisingly difficult to recognize.

In Episode 36 of NTSB News Talk, Max Trescott and Rob Mark examine a series of accidents that illustrate how quickly routine flights can unravel when pilots continue after the warning signs begin to accumulate.

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A Cessna 172, N1166F, crashes at night at Blackfoot, Idaho, after what appears to have been a go-around. A Cirrus SR22T, N625LK, crashes near Bend, Oregon, after remaining airborne for more than five hours in an unusual flight that authorities say ended intentionally. An Aerostar 601P, N800AA, barely climbs after a nighttime departure from Adirondack Regional Airport, raising the possibility of somatogravic illusion.

They also discuss a Beech Baron, N202DK, lost after apparently continuing VFR into instrument weather, and a Piper Twin Comanche, N8154Y, that rolls inverted during a go-around following an earlier engine abnormality.

Final reports include a Diamond DA42, N705JP, that lands long with a tailwind and insufficient runway remaining; an unregistered Piper PA-18 that stalls during a low-altitude predator-control flight; a Cirrus SR22T, N778WT damaged on an unfamiliar grass runway; and a Gulfstream G600, N600WE, that loses visual reference in heavy rain during landing.

Plus, Rob reflects on the 45th anniversary of the PATCO strike and the warning he published shortly before it began. He talks about it on his Stories About Flying podcast.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark examine the July 20, 2024 runway excursion of Hawker 900XP N526FC at Telluride Regional Airport. The crew planned a Runway 27 departure from an airport elevation of 9,069 feet, with density altitude above 11,200 feet and takeoff calculations using nearly all of the 7,111-foot runway. But the jet began its takeoff with the flaps retracted instead of set to the planned 15 degrees, while a gusty tailwind exceeded the airplane’s operating limitation. Here are Takeoff Videos One and Two.

The aircraft never became airborne. After the crew rejected the takeoff, it ran through the engineered material arresting system and stopped beyond the runway. Both pilots escaped without injury, though the airplane sustained substantial damage and its engines continued running after impact.

Max and Rob analyze the cockpit voice recorder summary, the absence of audible checklist use or takeoff briefing, the missed opportunities to verify flap position, and the hazards of operating with almost no performance margin. They also discuss fuel-loading decisions at mountain airports, the unusual arrival hold on Telluride’s RNAV approach, unofficial instrument procedures, discrepancies in the pilots’ NTSB forms, and the lesson: disciplined checklist use, crew communication, and attention to detail are essential when conditions leave no room for error.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark review a mysterious Boeing 737 cargo crash, several fuel-related accidents, loss of control, and a dangerous carb-ice misconception. K2 Airways Flight KTA1732, Boeing 737-400F AP-BOI, reported a navigation problem before plunging into the Arabian Sea. The hosts analyze Beechcraft 95-A55 Baron N7501S after an apparent dual-engine failure near Lancaster, South Carolina, following an 18-hour flying day, raising questions about fuel endurance, fatigue, and nighttime hypoxia.

Preliminary reports include Cessna 150L N156KA, where the instructor tried to select a nonexistent right-tank position and investigators found a striking fuel imbalance; Cessna P210N N54CC, which stalled and spun above a 9,550-foot runway; Pacific Aerospace 750XL N221BN, whose engine was producing power before a fatal skydiving crash; and experimental Piper PA-20 N7635K, which struck mountainous terrain while flying toward instrument conditions with a suspended certificate and expired medical.

Final reports cover Cessna 172M N4464R, whose seat slid aft during takeoff, and Cessna 182 N8580T, which lost power on final after the left tank ran dry despite fuel remaining in the right tank. Listener Sam Dawson closes with a warning that no carbureted airplane should be assumed immune from carb ice or what its POH may imply alone.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark review a packed week of aviation safety events, beginning with two runway close calls. At Boston Logan, Delta Air Lines Flight 2351 went around after American Airlines Flight 3161 delayed its takeoff roll on an intersecting runway. At Miami, American Airlines Flight AA308, an Airbus A319, rejected takeoff after spotting NetJets Flight EJA434, an Embraer Phenom 300, N434QS, on the runway after an apparent clearance misunderstanding.

The episode then turns to recent accidents, including the fatal Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter skydiving crash of D-FIPS in France, a fatal propeller accident involving a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, N593EX, at Marana, AZ and the crash of a NetJets Cessna 680A Citation Latitude, N523QS, near Laredo after a reported emergency. Max also discusses a fatal night Piper Archer, N249WF, near Bowie, Maryland, where possible factors include engine failure, fuel exhaustion, or carburetor ice.

Rob covers a float-equipped Cessna 195, N3877V, that struck unmarked power lines near Pasco, Washington. Final reports include a Cirrus SR22T, N285AH, seat-slide takeoff accident and a Cirrus SR20, N619AV, icing encounter that ended with a CAPS parachute deployment.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark review major recent aviation accidents and newly released NTSB reports, beginning with two breaking accidents: a U.S. Air Force B-52 crash shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California, and a fatal skydiving aircraft crash near Butler, Missouri, involving N221BN, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL/P-750 operated for Skydive Kansas City. That accident killed the pilot and 11 skydiving passengers and raises early questions about takeoff performance, low-altitude options, and the unique operational risks of jump aircraft.

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They also discuss N318JF, a fatal Gulfstream G200 crash at La Romana in the Dominican Republic and N858SD, a Cirrus SR20 crash in Ohio, along with the pilot’s previous icing accident in in N406SR, a 2006 SR22.

The preliminary report segment focuses on United Flight 169, a Boeing 767 arriving at Newark from Venice. After multiple runway changes, the crew flew the RNAV W Runway 29 approach, descended below the intended visual path, struck a light pole near the New Jersey Turnpike, and landed safely.

Final reports include N4167G, a Cessna 402B in Puerto Rico with serious maintenance discrepancies, N18BG, a Lancair ES stall while maneuvering for spacing at Oshkosh AirVenture, N3464D, a Champion 7GCBC accident near Eatonville, N14137, a 1934 WACO that entered unexpected IMC, and N6310N, a Citabria training accident in California.

Max Trescott and Rob Mark review a new NTSB recommendations for the FAA’s Runway Condition Assessment Matrix after wet-runway overruns showed that heavy rain can sharply reduce braking effectiveness.

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The episode then turns to several recent and preliminary accidents, including a Piper PA-28 N7188W loss-of-control crash at Akron-Fulton Airport, a Piper PA-32 Saratoga N5802N accident southwest of Empire, Nevada, a Diamond DA40 N787PV crash west of Elko, Nevada, and a North American AT-6 N29678 formation-flight crash near Bronson, Florida.

The final reports include three major lessons. In a Piper PA-28 N8438B crash at Muncie, Indiana, an instrument flight in an airplane not properly inspected for IFR ended in spatial disorientation after off-course maneuvering in IMC. In the IAI Westwind N1125A crash at Hot Springs, Virginia, the crew continued an unstabilized approach with altimeter, FMS, automation, and crew resource management problems. Finally, the Piper PA-46 N85PG in-flight breakup near Trout Creek, New York, shows the danger of continuing into convective weather, turbulence, and IMC while hand-flying.