NWA 188 Captain Explains Why Flight Overshot Minneapolis

Ever since the pilots of NWA 188 overflew their Minneapolis destination, speculation has been rampant about what actually happened in the cockpit. It was widely assumed that the pilots had fallen asleep. I’ve just posted a long email, originally reported by the Dallas Morning News, which gives the full details of what happened on the flight as reported by Captain Tim Cheney to a friend. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

Cirrus SR22 crash lawsuit Video

I came across an interesting 11-minute interview with the attorneys for plaintiffs awarded $16.4 million in damages for a January 2003 fatal Minnesota crash of a Cirrus SR22.It’s noteworthy that the NTSB probable cause puts full blame on the pilot. Nonetheless, the plaintiffs who successfully sued were the families of the pilot Gary Prokop and his passenger James Kosak. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

Audio from Near Mid-Air Collision Over SFO between jet and Cessna

The NTSB launched an investigation to determine why a commercial jetliner and a small light airplane came within 300 feet of colliding over San Francisco on Saturday. Listen to the San Francisco tower audio and you can hear that both aircraft were in contact with the tower and followed instructions. Article includes details on how controller may not have followed rules, leading to a loss of separation. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

American Airlines Flight 331 Crashes after Long Landing at Kingston, Jamaica Airport; Downwind Landing May Have Been a Factor

Looking at a Google Maps satellite photo and comparing it with Jamaica TV’s report that the aircraft overran the runway and “crossed a road,” suggests that the aircraft landed on runway 12 with a tailwind. If so, the accident may turn out to be similar to a December 2005 accident at Chicago’s Midway Airport in which a Southwest Boeing 737-700 landed downwind with a 11 knot tailwind. It encountered poor braking action due to snow and ice on the runway and was still traveling at 53 knots as it… (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

IFR PIlots: KLN 94 Gotcha Flying RNAV GPS Y and Z Approaches

Article on a problem that can get instrument pilots in trouble flying GPS approaches with the King/Bendix KLN 94 GPS. That's the GPS found in all Cessnas built from 1997 through much of 2004. Essentially the problem is that if you're flying an approach labeled with a Y or Z letter in the title, that letter does not show up in the list of approach titles when selecting an approach on the KLN 94. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

ICE Busts California Flight School in Massive Visa Fraud Scheme

Not only did the school illegally issue more than 100 visa to foreign flight student, but they also hired 11 illegal immigrants as flight instructors! Little surprise that California has passed a bill regulating flight schools. (www.foxnews.com) More...

Deadly midair collision near Boulder kills at least 3 people

A Cirrus SR20 ran into the towline that a Piper Pawnee was using to tow a glider. The glider disconnected from the tow rope and landed safety. Amateur video captured the Cirrus, on fire, descending slowly by it's parachute. There were apparently no survivors in the Pawnee or Cirrus. (www.msnbc.msn.com) More...

TSA Agent Moonlighting as Bank Robber

TSA agent diversifies into bank robbery. Wonder if he'll use the same mental illness defense as the SFO FAA controller convicted of bank robbery a few years ago. http://bit.ly/bxMoRU (www.gadling.com) More...

Non-Towered Airports - Pattern Entry Procedures

Flying at a towered airport is easy: Do what the tower says! There are FAA recommended procedures for entering the pattern at non-towered airports, but many pilots are not taught the recommended procedures or forget them over time. This article describes the recommended procedure and an alternate procedure for entering the pattern in the U.S. Note: procedures differ in other countries. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...

General Aviation Making a Difference in Haiti Disaster Relief Effort: How You Can Help

This evening I was present when a call came that 27 orphans had just boarded an MFI plane in Port-au-Prince and would be arriving in Ft. Pierce, Florida in a few hours. In a week full of uncertainly where life for some has hung on the slimmest of threads, GA volunteers are making a difference and lives are being saved. (www.maxtrescott.com) More...