In this 300th episode of the Flight Safety Detectives podcast, Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia welcome special guest Sarah MacLeod, executive director of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA). Maintenance issues get the spotlight, including how maintenance professionals and aircraft operators are challenged to understand how FAA maintenance regulations and standards apply to them.

MacLeod is a vocal advocate for individuals and companies on international aviation safety law, policy, and compliance issues. She and John have each worked to shape FAA regulations and policies, sometimes in conflict but always with the same objectives in mind.
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This special episode touches on major changes that have shaped aviation in the 21st century. There are takeaways here for new as well as seasoned aviation professionals.

Dear Members of the First State Chapter PAMA,
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After 12 years of serving as President of our chapter, the time has come for me to step aside and begin a new chapter in my life.  It has truly been one of the greatest honors of my professional life to lead such a dedicated group of aviation maintenance professionals who share a passion for excellence, safety, and community.

Over the years, the Chapter has accomplished so much together — from growing our membership and supporting the next generation of technicians, to hosting events that have strengthened both our skills and our camaraderie. 

But, we are still looking for someone to step into the role of Chapter President. 

If we are unable to fill this position, unfortunately, the First State Chapter PAMA will cease to exist.If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering for this important role, please reach out as soon as possible. Your involvement is vital to keeping our chapter active and supporting our mission.

On a positive note, am pleased to announce that the Delaware Valley Business Aviation Association (DVBAA) will be taking over the Annual Maintenance Symposium this winter. I am confident they will continue to carry forward the mission of providing valuable technical training, fostering collaboration, and supporting aviation maintenance professionals across the region.

The new Symposium will be held on Feb 28, 2026 at Deerfield Country Club.  We have been working with the DVBAA to make this transition as seamless as possible so Technicians in the area will have access to Free IA approved Training. 

The DVBAA will be updating their website soon with Symposium updates and registration at:  dvbaa.wildapricot.orgThank you all for your friendship, support over the years.
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With gratitude and best wishes,
John Agnew
President
First State Chapter - PAMA
302-983-0042

Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia provide critical insights into an October 1, 2025, ground collision at LaGuardia Airport between two taxiing regional airliners. The collision caused serious damage to both planes operated by Delta Connection.

The NTSB has not yet provided a preliminary report but the detectives gather details that offer initial insights. John has extensive experience as a mechanic at LaGuardia and shares his experience with congestion at this very busy airport. Hear why the pilots may have been distracted while taxiing.
A Flight Safety Detectives channel member shares lessons learned from an incident where the aircraft he was flying had issues during taxi. He stopped the aircraft and consulted with one of his flight school’s mechanics, who assured him that the aircraft was airworthy. He decided to take off but had to land the aircraft just after takeoff due to airworthiness issues.
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Todd, Greg, and John discuss details of the members story, emphasizing the importance of the pilot’s decision-making and the role of the flight school’s maintenance organization. Flight schools should use events like this as learning tools. Hear how regular safety standdowns enhance safety.

​A pilot who was attempting to satisfy FAA requirements for flying at night was killed in another preventable plane crash. The NTSB report of this 2018 high-energy impact into the ocean leaves several key questions unanswered.

The NTSB lists a probable cause that the Flight Safety Detectives just can’t support. They add this to a list of insufficient NTSB reports published in the last few years

The pilot in command was flying at night with a passenger. He was required by the FAA to have performed three takeoffs and landings in the previous 90 days. According to the NTSB report, in the previous 90 days, the accident pilot had flown for three hours, including the two-hour accident flight.
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The NTSB did not determine if the night currency requirements were met before the accident flight because the pilot’s logbooks were unavailable for review. Public Docket documents that shed light on how the company behind the pilot’s rented aircraft could have let this happen. The rental form that the pilot signed did not mention anything about requirements for night flights.

A mission to collect crocodile eggs in Australia went horribly wrong after a series of errors. A R44 helicopter ran out of fuel and the pilot had to release an external sling carrying the person collecting the eggs, killing that person and injuring the pilot.

The helicopter was one of a group of helicopters participating in a reality show. The accident pilot passed on the opportunity to refuel on the way to the egg-collecting area, adding to several actions that led to the fatal accident.

The accident report details events that began years before the accident when the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Australia’s equivalent of the FAA, improperly approved the operator’s plan for this flight operation. The investigation also revealed various practices that increased the risk.
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John Goglia, Greg Feith and Todd Curtis dissect how CASA and the operator created high-risk flight operation that led to this fatal accident.

In this recording of the first Flight Safety Detectives live stream, viewer questions take John Goglia, Todd Curtis and Greg Feith on a deep dive onto aviation safety headlines. Audience questions help bring forward the latest developments in the investigations of the Air India crash, Washington National crash, reports of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) and much more.

• Why the public will never get full disclosure of the Air India crash
• Potential changes coming from the DC crash investigation
• Limitations and benefits of cameras in the cockpit and around aircraft
• Unanswered questions in recent UAP investigations
• Criminal prosecution in accident investigation in the US versus worldwide

Deferring maintenance can be deadly. The July 2024 fatal crash of a twin-engine Beechcraft Duke, which killed the pilot and both passengers, provides the perfect case to make this point.

The aircraft had been idle for several months and had been exposed to weather including snow. The pilot was flying himself and his two passengers from upstate New York to Ohio. He did so despite airworthiness issues that included visible landing gear damage.

The left engine lost power and the pilot attempted to land at a nearby airport. The pilot lost control and crashed after attempting a single-engine go-around. Analysis reveals other issues with the aircraft, including clear signs of fuel system contamination and engine performance problems.
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John and Todd explored several issues not in the NTSB final report but implied from the information collected. The pilot had ample information about the airworthiness of the aircraft before takeoff but was apparently determined to fly that day.

19th Annual First State Chapter - PAMA / West Star Aviation Golf Tournament
Wednesday - October 1, 2025 
12:00 - Registration & Lunch
1:00 - Shotgun Start
Registration Open on Golf Registration Page at FirstStatePAMA.com
Deerfield County Club - Newark Delaware
$130.00 includes: Lunch, Best Ball Round of Golf, Golf Cart, Dinner, Door Prizes, Trophies, free alcoholic drinks throughout the day including dinner 

Information & Sponsorships: Please contact John Agnew at [email protected] or 302-983-0042 for details
 
Please see the attached Registration and Vendor Information Form

Visit  www.FirstStatePAMA.com for more information!
Golf Event Title Sponsor – West Star Aviation
Lunch - flyADVANCED
Dinner –  DAS  Aviation
Cocktails – Velocity Maintenance Solutions 
 
Gold Sponsor – $750.00
Cosgrove Aircraft Services Inc.
May have more than 1 Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor – $500.00
Aircraft Specialties Inc - ASI
Corporate Jet Support 
May have more than 1 Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor – 250.00
SureFlight Completions 
May have more than 1 Bronze Sponsor Longest Drive – Honeywell
Closest to the Pin – Honeywell

 Hole Sponsorship's - 1 hole for $250.00   3 holes for $600.00
 Polytech School of Aviation Maintenance
Velocity Maintenance Solutions
Honeywell
Aviation Institute of Maintenance

​Contact:
John Agnew
President
First State Chapter - PAMA
302-983-0042

Spotlight on the September 2024 fatal crash involving an Evolution Revo light sport weight shift aircraft (LSA). A CFI and student pilot were killed when the aircraft’s wings folded and it entered a steep dive.

Todd Curtis and John Goglia explore questions not answered in the recently released NTSB report. How or why did the CFI miss the checklist item to attach a key support cable? Had the aircraft recently been transported? Was work done on the aircraft?

The aircraft uses hang-glider-like wings for lift. It relies on moving a control bar to shift the center of gravity and change the shape of the wing and does not rely on traditional flight control surfaces. Despite his extensive experience with the aircraft, the CFI did not properly attach a key support cable called a haul back cable.
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LSA rules will change in 2025 and 2026, including allowing pilots with an LSA certification to fly larger aircraft like the Cessna 172.

Calling out inappropriate CFI behavior! John and Todd dig into the details of a fatal September 2023 accident involving a night training flight. The student’s regular instructor was not available, and this was the first training with a different CFI.

The CFI’s actions were unprofessional and inappropriate. He uploaded posts to Snapchat before and during the flight.

In a post uploaded prior to the flight, the CFI complained about how long the student took to do a preflight inspection. John Goglia reminds that a preflight inspection should take as long as necessary!
The CFI was the pilot-in-command of the flight. He made critical decisions that put the aircraft in danger and likely led to the crash.
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While returning from the night training flight, the CFI ignored storms in the area and pressed on instead of landing at an alternate airport. The plane encountered severe turbulence and broke up in flight, killing the CFI and the student.