The crew of a United Airlines 727 tried to turn back shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles, but did not make it back to the airport. The plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.

Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia discuss the crash of the 727-22QC in 1969. Electrical failures and electrical system design contributed to the plane crash. The accident happened on a night with limited visibility due to the weather.

The aircraft had three electrical generators, but only two were working. Shortly after takeoff, the crew shut down one engine due to a fire warning. That move shut down one of the two working generators.
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John discusses the complexities of 727 electrical systems and other aircraft of the era. The NTSB found that total power loss occurred after all the electrical loads were placed on the one remaining generator.

Oil and oxygen don’t mix on airplanes. A crew doing maintenance on the Air Force One oxygen system ignored safety procedures resulting in $4 million dollars of damage to the plane.

The damage was caused by maintenance activity on the oxygen system of a U.S. Air Force VC-25A, a 747 aircraft that regularly flies the President of the United States. This event occurred in 2016.

John Goglia and Todd Curtis share evidence that crew did not follow the VC-25A’s aircraft maintenance manual procedures for cleaning the tools, parts, and components before performing leak checks on the oxygen system.
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This is perhaps the highest profile incident of an aircraft damaged due to improper oxygen system maintenance procedures. John notes that failure to follow procedures is the FAA’s top cause for maintenance problems in commercial aviation.

New evidence calls into question the NTSB’s conclusions – and our reporting in Episode 193 – about a 2020 midair collision. Video and other information shows that there were two helicopters in the area before the midair collision.

Miles O’Brien, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia revisit the 2020 midair collision of a drone and a helicopter. The NTSB used a video shot by the drone to conclude that a helicopter seen at the beginning of the video later collided with the drone.

When Todd recently used the video as part of a class he was teaching, he noticed a shadow that he could not explain. That led to lots of sleuthing and the realization of the involvement of a second helicopter.

Safety concerns arise when one or more helicopters operate around a drone. In addition to this 2020 collision, a midair between two news-gathering helicopters in 2007 that killed everyone on both helicopters.

Miles shares his experiences flying in situations where multiple helicopters are covering a breaking news story. Pilots of manned and unmanned aircraft need to coordinate closely to maintain safe operations.
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The NTSB should consider taking a second look and revising its report to address the aviation safety issues uncovered. John shares his experience on the NTSB Board and what it took to reopen an investigation when new information was available.

Two Piper airplane crashes show that pilots’ bad decisions can have devastating results. This episode covers two avoidable fatal crashes.

A 1991 accident involves a Piper Seneca in Florida. The NTSB found that the two occupants were partially disrobed and no evidence that either were wearing seat belts or shoulder harnesses. The report makes clear that the two occupants were attempting to join the Mile High Club.

In the second event, a Cessna 150 crashed in 2014 after the pilot took off at night with a very low ceiling. He was taking flash pictures. He crashed shortly after takeoff due to spatial disorientation. The pilot’s decision to fly in deteriorating conditions is similar to errors made by the pilot in the Kobe Bryant Crash.

The pilot had a commercial and an instrument rating but was not current to fly at night or in instrument conditions, a classic case of a VFR pilot taking off in IFR conditions. The visibility conditions were so low that the pilot may not have any chance of landing at the departure airport.
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Pilots can be tempted to bend the rules in order to have some fun in the air.  These lessons show that the results can be deadly.

Coming to you from the 2024 AMC Competition in Chicago! Miles O’Brien, Todd Curtis, John Goglia, Greg Feith, and aircraft mechanic and accident investigator Jason Lukasik witness the competition. Every aspect of aviation maintenance and repair was on display as competitors worked to beat the clock.

This year more than 400 competitors from nearly 90 teams from maintenance schools, airlines, and the military tackled 27 aviation maintenance skills challenges. Hear about the displays of excellence and comradery witnessed at the event.

The high-energy event highlights the critical role of aviation maintenance professionals and gives the participants insights into opportunities in the industry. The event showcases the skill level of the participants. For some, it is a direct path to finding employment in the field.
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John, who is one of the founders of the competition a decade ago, shares AMC’s plans to expand the competition to more aviation industry conferences. More maintenance teams will be able to take part.