Latest Posts
Death of a Flight Instructor During a Training Flight
Last Saturday, the 4th of July 2026, a 22-year-old low-hour pilot departed for a flight with a flight instructor at Coronel Olmedo Airport in Córdoba, Argentina. Coronel Olmedo (SACD) is an uncontrolled airfield with a single unpaved runway (5/23) of around 4,000 feet/1,200 metres in length. The small airfield hosts a number of flight schools.…
Read more… 10 Jul 26
Fatal SR22 Stall on Final at Barwick LaFayette
On the 20th of March, 2025, a Cirrus SR22 crashed in LaFayette, Georgia during an instructional flight, killing both the pilot and the flight instructor. It was a good flying day, good visibility, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet with light wind. Both the pilot and the flight instructor had a free day and agreed to…
Read more… 3 Jul 26
There Is a Parachutist in Front of You
On the 15th of June 2023, a light aircraft crashed into the runway at Aversi private airfield in Denmark. The aircraft, registered in Germany as D-EPRR, was a Cessna TU206G Stationair, a six-seater single-engine aircraft which had been converted to a turboprop (with a Rolls Royce 250 turboshaft) by Soloy Aviation Solutions. Later, it was…
Read more… 26 Jun 26
The Loss of B-52 Spirit of Aggieland II
On the 15th of June 2026, a B-52 Stratofortress crashed at Edwards Air Force Base shortly after take-off. There were eight on board and no survivors. The B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range heavy bomber built by Boeing. It has eight jet engines mounted in four pods with a maximum takeoff weight of 488,000 pounds. The…
Read more… 19 Jun 26
Fatal Gulfstream G200 Crash in the Dominican Republic
On the 7th of June 2026, a Gulfstream G200 crashed at La Romana International Airport in the Dominican Republic, killing both pilots. The twin-engine business jet, registered in the US as N318JF, was owned by Aibonito Aviation, based in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It had arrived in La Romana to refuel as a part of…
Read more… 12 Jun 26
An Hour with Sid, Zero Speculation Required
Last week I sat down with Sid for the Sit Down With Sid podcast, and he let me ramble on about MH370 for two straight hours. We talked about the forensic data, the limits of radar, why the Ocean Infinity search came up empty, and why the “pilot did it” narrative is on shakier ground…
Read more… 5 Jun 26
Accident Analysis
Ferry Tank Failure: Successful SR22 Ditching in the Pacific
In 2015, I shared a video of an SR22 whose pilot successfully deployed his Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS) off of the coast of Maui, Hawai’i. I wrote at the time…
The Man in the Right Seat at Prestwick
On the 23rd of April 2024, a Piper Archer II crashed in South Ayrshire, Scotland, after losing power. There were two on board. Both suffered serious injuries and the light…
Demystifying
The Pilots, the Probes, and the AF447 Verdict
On the 21st of May 2026, the Paris Court of Appeal convicted Airbus and Air France of involuntary manslaughter for their roles in the crash of Air France flight 447,…
Meowing on Guard (an attempt at an explanation)
Last week a video went viral and it’s been fun to see the mainstream media coverage try to cover two pilots who were heard making animal noises on the radio. …
History
The First Jet to Land on an Aircraft Carrier (Deliberately)
“The Vampire was the first jet to land on a moving aircraft carrier deliberately.” This quote from Airshow Luke, our MC at the Legacy of Liberty airshow, made me almost…
Four Point Two Stars Where You Only Stop If You Have To
I always look up airports when I’m writing about them, partly out of habit and partly because I’m afraid I’ll miss an important detail. When I was writing Any Landing…
Fun Stuff
Aviation Stories You Might Have Missed
I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season. This week, I’ve put together a compilation of interesting items in the press that you might have missed while enjoying…
Nathan Pyle Strange Worlds
Thank you so much for all the kind words. I don’t quite have the wherewithal to respond to each of you individually but I very much appreciate all of you…
