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Flight safety detectives episode 171 - usair plane crash

6/27/2023

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You had to be there to know the full story of the plane crash of USAir Flight 5050. John Goglia was, and he shares the experience.

Todd Curtis and John discuss the fatal 1989 crash of USAir Flight 5050 at La Guardia Airport in New York. John directly participated in the accident investigation as a mechanic with USAir. He shares accident investigation details well beyond the official report.
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The extraordinary amount of media attention around the accident and the flight crew impacted the sequence of events. The reported “missing pilots” were only missing to the media, having been moved away from the scene by investigators to protect them from the frenzy. John also reveals how the media got recordings of investigation team status meetings.
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flight safety detectives episode 170 - keith green plane crash shows value of accident investigation

6/14/2023

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The fiery plane crash that killed Christian music star Keith Green and 11 others resulted in aviation safety lessons for every pilot. The NTSB accident report also has safety takeaways for anyone who rents or uses aircraft and pilots that are not their own.

Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia talk about the circumstances of the fatal 1982 air crash. The thorough NTSB accident investigation documents the roles that the overloaded and unbalanced aircraft and the pilot’s experience played in the tragedy.
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Greg and John compare the detailed findings in this report with the more superficial summaries that are the norm for today’s NTSB accident reports. This report contains valuable aviation safety findings that can help pilots avoid similar mistakes.
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flight safety detectives episode 169 - small hardware causes big aviation safety problem

6/7/2023

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The NTSB has a message for mechanics – pay attention to B-nuts! Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia dig into NTSB Safety Alert 086, which highlights four accidents that were caused in part by improperly tightened b-nuts.

Small parts led to big problems. Two of the accidents were fatal.

They focus on one accident that involves a very experienced pilot who also performed maintenance on the accident aircraft. The Bell 206 helicopter crashed following a fuel leak. The NTSB found that when he did maintenance on the aircraft, he failed to properly torque the nut.

Failure to follow defined procedures in the maintenance hangar and in the cockpit is the leading cause of aviation accidents. The pilot in this accident was fortunately able to walk away from the accident caused by not following the engine repair steps outlined by Rolls Royce.
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The Flight Safety Detectives offer advice and details not found in the NTSB report and safety bulletin to help every pilot and mechanic avoid similar issues. Of the “dirty dozen” workplace mistakes, John believes complacency is the most prevalent and dangerous.
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flight safety detectives episode 168 - aviation maintenance & real-world safety

5/31/2023

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Aviation maintenance professionals are critical to safety. John Goglia helped put the spotlight on aviation maintenance and safety programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University recently. John did a presentation on Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) Day and witnessed first-hand some safety operations in place at the university.

Greg Feith also reviews lessons learned from the fatal June 1999 crash of American Airlines Flight 1420 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The NTSB investigation showed the role that being in a rush played in the crash that involved 9 fatalities.
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flight safety detectives episode 167 - 40% power in a cessna 150?

5/26/2023

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A pilot’s report of 40% engine power is just one of many unexplained facts in the NTSB report of a crash involving a modified Cessna 150. The banner-towing flight crashed while attempting to land in Riverside, California.

Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss a Cessna 150 banner tow plane accident where the pilot had engine issues shortly before landing and made an emergency landing near the airport. They discuss unusual decisions made by the pilot, including taking off in challenging weather conditions and trying to restart the engine while in the airport traffic pattern.
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The NTSB left out key details and findings in the accident report. The probable cause does not explain why the plane crashed. Fuel starvation is cited, yet there was fuel on board.
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flight safety detectives episode 166 - pilot gets lost during night flight

5/18/2023

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Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the role of pilot decision making in a crash of a Cessna 152 in Florida. The pilot decided to do some practice flying at night and under low visibility conditions with deadly results.

The NTSB investigation of the 2015 fatal crash did not seriously investigate several apparent issues, including the quality of the accident pilot’s training and English language proficiency. Hear the recording with Air Traffic Control to get a sense of the severe communication issues that occurred.

Like many accidents, the trajectory of this accident was set before the pilot took off. John, Todd and Greg talk about a series of poor decisions and inappropriate actions.
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The Flight Safety Detectives find that the NTSB didn’t ask the right questions as they investigated this accident. The result is a report that lacks important safety findings.
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flight safety detectives episode 165 - commercial space safety - human factors

5/11/2023

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Commercial space operations pose significant aviation safety challenges. Safety systems and processes need to evolve to meet the demands of new technologies and approaches. John Goglia and Todd Curtis discuss human factors issues with experimental aircraft.

They examine the single commercial space accident in the NTSB database. The investigation looked at the 2014 inflight breaking of Scaled Composite’s SpaceShip Tow spacecraft over the Mojave Desert.

A disconnect between how engineers expected the aircraft to be operated and pilot behavior in the cockpit appears to be at the root of this accident. They look particularly at assumptions made about how the flight crew would manage critical spacecraft systems.

John shares takeaways from his review of other accidents involving test and experimental aircraft. A common thread is that during the development of these aircraft, assumptions are generally made about the crew that will fly them.
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They talk about how innovations in commercial space challenge the FAA to set proper guidelines for testing. And, how the persistent need to consider human factors in aviation is a thread that traces back to the earliest days of flight.
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flight safety detectives episode 164 - a terrible year for aviation accidents

5/11/2023

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John Goglia, Greg Feith, and Todd Curtis discuss the 1985 crash of an Eastern Airlines 727 in the mountains of Bolivia. Greg was an on-site NTSB investigator for the crash that was the start of one of the worst commercial aviation accident years in history.

Greg led an expedition to the Andes Mountains to attempt to retrieve the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. He offers a preview of a two-hour documentary that will focus on the accident.

They also discuss a variety of ground incidents that have led to injuries and fatalities on the ramp. One in Washington DC involved a baggage handler who walked into a propeller. In another, another ground crew was killed by an airplane engine.

Greg and John worked an accident in El Paso, Texas where a mechanic working on an engine cowling was killed. His hat came loose and he was sucked into the engine.
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They share lessons that everyone who works around airplanes should follow. Ground equipment, jetways and ramps all present situations that demand safety awareness.
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flight safety detectives, episode 163 - Live! from the 2023 aerospace maintenance competition

5/11/2023

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John Goglia, Greg Feith, and Todd Curtis share news from the 2023 Aerospace Maintenance Competition held during MRO Americas in Atlanta. More than 80 maintenance teams from around the world participated in this year’s competition.

John is a long-time organizer of the event, and Todd is involved in human factors aspects of the competition. Competitors tackled 26 testing areas.

Also on hand were some big names in commercial aviation. Many job offers were made onsite. Competitors demonstrate the skills airlines need to support quality maintenance programs.
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The Flight Safety Detectives discuss all the opportunities that the competitors have at the event, particularly students in aviation maintenance technician training programs. Hear why this year featured a special energy that made it the best competition yet.
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PAMA Announces 2023 scholarship recipients

4/26/2023

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On April 20, PAMA recognized its 2023 scholarship award recipients during the award ceremony at the Aerospace Maintenance Competition in Atlanta.

The award recipients are as follows:
  • Brian Cleveland is currently a 4.0 student at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Houston. As an older student, on top of pursuing his A&P license, Brian is a father and an unlicensed mechanic for Mesa Airlines. His letters of recommendation highlight his determination, eagerness to learn, and willingness to lend a helping hand to other students in need. Once he obtains his license, Brian hopes to become proficient in repairing a variety of aircraft and possibly open his own consulting business one day. Brian is the recipient of a $1,500 scholarship, courtesy of JSfirm.com.
  • Lei Huot is currently in pursuit of her A&P certification at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, inspired by her grandfather who was a mechanic in the United States Air Force. In addition to being a student, Lei has already clocked in over 150 apprenticeship hours with Eagle Aircraft Maintenance. In her letters of recommendation, the owner of Eagle Aircraft Maintenance speaks of her dedication, character, and calls her an asset to their team. Lei is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship, courtesy of the Jack D. Prewitt Memorial Scholarship, provided by PistonPower™ by AEPC™.
  • Christopher Drewel is a student at the State Technical College of Missouri. At a young age, Christopher was introduced to aviation after his first flight in a Cessna 172. In addition to pursuing his A&P license, he is also a student pilot at Osage Aviation and an active member in several aviation related organizations. His letters of recommendation call him “impressive” and “always dependable”, as well as highlighting his integrity. Christopher is the recipient of  a $1,000 scholarship, courtesy of the Jack D. Prewitt Memorial Scholarship, provided by PistonPower™ by AEPC™.
  • Joel Mink is a student at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. He has already obtained his Private Pilot License and is now in pursuit of his A&P Certification. In addition to being a student, he is currently employed as a ground support equipment maintenance assistant at Trego-Dugan Aviation. Joel’s letters of recommendation highlight his work ethic and fervent determination. Joel is the recipient of a $1,500 Glenn McCauley Aviation Technician Award provided by the Ohio Aircraft Technicians Society.

Congratulations to all our award recipients. Visit the scholarship page for more information on the application deadline for 2024, and to contribute to the PAMA scholarship fund.
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