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NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his family survived the August 15, 2019 crash of a Cessna Citation Latitude jet caused by bad pilot decisions. John Goglia, Greg Feith and Todd Curtis go beyond the NTSB report to explore what led to an “unstabilized, ridiculously fast” landing that destroyed the aircraft.
Both crew members had hundreds of hours of flight experience in this aircraft model, and the copilot was also the director of operations for the airplane operator. In spite of their experience, the crew decided to continue the approach after realizing the aircraft was in an unstabilized approach. The aircraft landed too fast, was not configured properly for landing, and bounced several times before one of the main landing gear collapsed. The plane then departed the runway, came to rest just outside the airport, and caught fire. Fortunately, everyone was able to escape. The detectives explore several factors:
This accident is similar to a 2004 event involving a Gulfstream jet headed to Houston to pick up former president George H.W. Bush. Like the crash with Dale Earnhardt Jr, the experienced crew found themselves in an unstabilized approach, failed to follow standard procedures, and crashed.
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 Lax oversight by the FAA and questionable maintenance practices by both a flight school and the previous owner of a Cessna 172P aircraft led to a fatal plane crash. The Flight Safety Detectives find this is another aviation disaster that could have been avoided.
The NTSB report points to a corroded aileron control cable that failed just after takeoff as the cause of the event. Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the circumstances that led to the crash, killing a student and an instructor. The aircraft involved had been sitting idle for about a year before a flight school purchased it. The original maintenance manual had been lost, and a partial maintenance record was provided to the new owner. Incomplete maintenance logbooks should have prompted a reasonable potential owner to conduct an extensive inspection to uncover issues with the aircraft, yet none was done. The NTSB report does not mention any efforts taken to find maintenance-related records at FAA or elsewhere, actions that would have been reasonable. A pre-buy inspection was done less than a month before the accident. Although some issues were noted, the inspection failed to identify extensive aileron cable corrosion. flight safety detectives episode 253 - LA Firefighting Aircraft Grounded by Illegal Drone Activity1/15/2025  A midair collision between a private drone and an aircraft fighting the Los Angeles area fires caused damage to the plane and an evacuation of all firefighting aircraft from the area. John Goglia and Todd Curtis explore the tragic effect on firefighting as well as the violations of aviation rules.
This event was a major setback in firefighting efforts. The FAA had taken steps to restrict flying around the fire area that were not followed. They expect federal action to be taken against the drone pilot. The collision with the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone punched a hole in the leading edge of the left wing and grounded the Canadair CL-415 SuperScooper amphibious aircraft for several days. The FBI recovered the drone wreckage from inside the wing and is looking for the pilot. The Canadair SuperScooper amphibious aircraft is designed to pick up about 1,600 gallons of water from lakes or oceans and drop it on large fires. It was one of the largest aircraft types operating over the fires in California. Most drone operators have no certification and are unaware of the FAA regulations restricting where and when drones can fly. Todd and John highlight the basics. Drone operators must educate themselves on FAA regulations and follow the rules. Sailplane pilot Bob Pett had a close encounter with an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) that exhibited extraordinary speed and maneuverability. Bob shares the experience with John Goglia and Todd Curtis in his first public statement about the encounter.
While the first UAP flew in close formation off his left wing during the encounter, two similar UAPs descended from a cloud and joined up with the first. Seeing the next two UAPs approach raised the hair on the back of Bob’s neck. Bob and his passenger documented what they saw on August 9, 2015, including sketches of the event. Richard Haines of the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP) later published a detailed report of the encounter. Bob was not identified by name in the report. Several aspects of this encounter, including pilot decision-making under stress, reporting hazardous events to the appropriate authorities, and the lingering effects of experiencing a potentially catastrophic event in the air, are relevant to aviation safety with or without the involvement of a UAP. The aviation industry has not taken the UAP issue seriously. Despite the increased acceptance of the issue at the highest level of government, resistance to discussing the issue remains. UAP-related aviation safety issues should be reported by pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, other aviation professionals, and passengers. NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is an excellent and anonymous reporting system that ensures that anyone reporting a UAP event will not be identified. ✈️⛳ Save the Date! The 14th Annual South Texas PAMA Golf Classic is here! ⛳✈️
Join South Texas PAMA on Tuesday April 15th, 2025, at the stunning Wildcat Golf Club in Houston, Texas, for a day of golf, networking, and giving back! We’re continuing our mission to award more A&P scholarships in 2025 and need YOUR support! Sponsorships are now open, so don’t miss this incredible opportunity to support the next generation of Aviation Maintenance Technicians. CLICK HERE FOR SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES! Event Highlights: 🍳 7:00 AM - Registration & Breakfast 🍹 Bloody Mary/Screwdriver Bar 🎯 8:30 AM - $5000 Putting Contest ⛳ 9:00 AM - Shotgun Start (4-man scramble) 🥪 3:00 PM - Lunch Start Time 🎁 Silent Auction, Raffle, and Free Beverages! On-Course Activities: 🏌️♀️ LPGA Beat the Pro Challenge 🚀 World Long Drive Champion Demonstration 💰 $5000 Cash Putting Contest 🚗 Hole-in-One Contest for a chance to win a 2025 Ford F-150! Every golfer will receive a premium gift bag with golf gear, an event hat, and vendor swag! 4:30 PM - Announcements & Awards Location: Wildcat Golf Club 12000 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX 77045 Contact Chad Tew at [email protected] for sponsorship and event details today! Let’s come together to support the future of aviation while enjoying an unforgettable day on the course. 🌟 A wave of drone sightings are being reported throughout New Jersey and metropolitan New York, including flights over military installations and critical infrastructure. Drones are now part of battlefields. Are we under attack?
Todd Curtis and John Goglia look at the facts related to the reported drone sightings. Some video clearly shows airplanes in flight. However, others appear to show drones. The federal government’s response has been lacking, with government spokespersons offering few insights into who or what is behind the drone flights or whether there is a national security issue. Russia, China, Iran or private companies testing advanced technology are not likely behind the drone flights since being caught performing such flights would not be in their best interests. There also does not seem to be any attempt to hide the activity. Todd shares the FAA requirements for drone flights at night, including use of remote ID. The government has added dozens of flight restrictions in New Jersey and New York. These may not be effective because there may not be enough resources in place to identify drone activity in all those areas. Todd and John discuss their work as instructors at Vaughn College in New York, describing how the students there create drones using 3-D printing. Todd, a commercial drone pilot since 2016, discusses the drone class he teaches and how he incorporates drone developments, such as the innovations in the use of drones in the war in Ukraine, into the course. More to come on drones as Todd and John examine a sailplane encounter with a UAP in the next episode. 22nd Annual First State Chapter - PAMA Maintenance Symposium & IA Renewal When: Saturday - January 11, 2025 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Where: Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club 507 Thompson Station Rd Newark, Delaware 19711 Cost: FREE EVENT TO ALL ATTENDEES Attendee & Sponsorship Registration now Open on Chapter Web site: www.FirstStatePAMA.com Event Includes:
Sponsor & Vendor Registration NOW OPEN! Symposium Partner - $5000.00 Meeting Sponsor – West Star Aviation Breakfast Sponsor - Aircraft Specialties, Inc Morning Coffee Sponsor – The AD Toolbox Lunch Sponsor - Honeywell Aerospace Afternoon Coffee Sponsor - Polytech School of Aviation Maintenance Cocktails Sponsor - Velocity Maintenance Solutions Hors devours Sponsor - CAMP Systems Gold Sponsorship - $1750.00 - Aircraft Lighting International and CD Aviation Services Silver Sponsorship - $1500.00 May have more than one Sponsor Bronze Sponsorship - $1000.00 - Standard Aero, Concorde Battery, Duncan Aviation and First Aviation Services / Aerospace Turbine Rotables Trade Show Table comes with all Sponsorships Trade Show Table only – 28 available - $750.00 Standard Aero Velocity Maintenance Solutions West Star Aviation Polytech School of Aviation Maintenance The AD Toolbox Lee Aerospace Hartzell Aircraft Lighting International Aircraft Specialties, Inc Duncan Aviation First Aviation Services / Aerospace Turbine Rotables Honeywell Aerospace CAMP Systems CD Aviation Services Cosgrove Aircraft Service PWI Inc. Gogo Business Aviation Sensenich Propeller Trade Show 8:00 AM till 5:00 PM Vendors interested in sponsorship or tables at the trade show please contact John Agnew – President at [email protected] or 302-983-0042 |
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