Latest Posts
Details of the Horizon Air Dash 8 stolen and crashed by employee
On Friday, the 10th of August 2018, Seattle looked on in horror as a de Havilland Dash 8-400 flew what appeared to be aerobatics over the Puget Sound before crashing onto Ketron Island. At about 19:35 local time, the controller at Seattle Tacoma Airport (SEATAC) realised there was an unidentified aircraft on runway 16C. You…
Read more… 17 Aug 18
MH370 Report: Additional Factors and No Answers
This is a continuation of my analysis of the Malaysian Safety Investigation Report. Last week we looked at the flight details of Malaysia Airlines flight 370, with a focus on the turn back and the response of Air Traffic Control. The detail offered in the report showed that the first turn was almost certainly flown…
Read more… 10 Aug 18
MH370 Report : Where Did It Go?
On Monday, the The Malaysian Safety Investigation Team for MH370 released their SAFETY INVESTIGATION REPORT to the public. They have been careful to state that this is not a final report, with the argument that a final report is not possible under the current circumstances, where the victims and the bulk of the wreckage have…
Read more… 3 Aug 18
For your amusement: weird and interesting NOTAMS
I was browsing around looking for interesting news when I saw that Reddit user justachamelion had posted a great question for /r/AskReddit: Pilots of Reddit, what are the weirdest or most interesting NOTAMS you’ve ever read/heard of? It was cross-posted to /r/flying, and I found myself quite amused by the list of unexpected NOTAMS. I’ve…
Read more… 27 Jul 18
Fatal Convair Crash at Pretoria
On the 10th of July 2018, a Convair CV-340 crashed at Pretoria Wonderboom airport in South Africa. There were three crew and 16 passengers on board (reports vary but these are the numbers as confirmed by the South African CAA). One crew member, an engineer, died in the impact, as did a person on the…
Read more… 20 Jul 18
When Two 737s Collide
This Wednesday, the 11th of July, the Transport Safety Board of Canada have released an investigation report on the ground collision, fire and evacuation at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Ontario. It makes for an interesting anatomy of a ground-based emergency. TSB Canada investigation report Ground collision, fire, and evacuation WestJet Airlines Ltd., Boeing 737-800,…
Read more… 13 Jul 18
Accident Reports
Too Slow, Too Low and Obstacles Ahead: Air France flight 296
On the 26th of June in 1988, one of the first in-service Airbus A320s flew a demonstration flight over Habsheim airport and ended in tragedy. I’ve written an introductory piece…
The Wing Just Broke Off: Chalk's Airline Flight 101 (2005)
On the 19th of December, 2005, Chalk’s Ocean Airways flight 101 crashed into a shipping channel shortly after take-off. This fatal accident signalled the beginning of the end for Chalk’s…
Demystifying
Thirty Years Since Air France Flight 296
Thirty years ago, on the 26th of June 1988, a brand new Airbus A320 crashed during a demonstration of its fly-by-wire capabilities, killing three passengers and demolishing the plane as…
Drone Killer
When I’m not obsessing about aviation, I write speculative fiction, including science fiction featuring near-future technology. So you can imagine I was pretty excited when I saw a headline last…
History
Chalk's Flying Service and the Grumman Mallard
Sometimes when I am looking into the background of an accident, I keep finding more and more intriguing details, rabbit holes of interesting information, until I’m barely sure anymore what…
Goddamned Cat
Sometimes the best stories are the ones that aren’t so famous, where the race was not won and the record was not broken. This is such a story. It’s the…
Fun Stuff
In case you were wondering what to get me for Christmas
There are lots of private jets up for sale but this one is special… It is a 1962 Lockheed JetStar 1329. The JetStar was a private project at Lockheed, originally…
The Latest Futuristic and Experimental Aircraft in 1952
This week I’m going to share a great video with you which has only just come to my attention. It’s a 1952 newsreel showing the latest futuristic and experimental aircraft.…
@FearofLanding
Rudy Jakma on Details of the Horizon Air Dash 8 stolen and crashed by employeeEducator, Ok I got the name wrong. My conclusions were my own, granted. And of course there will be, have…
CHip on Details of the Horizon Air Dash 8 stolen and crashed by employeeRick's video claims that he was a baggage handler, not a mechanic; OTOH, this may have been a small enough…
Brian on Details of the Horizon Air Dash 8 stolen and crashed by employeeAMEN to the the ATC on keeping his cool. Very good job! 
TheEducator on Details of the Horizon Air Dash 8 stolen and crashed by employeeRudy, his name was Rich, not Rick. Your post makes a metric ton (or is it tonne, ol chap?) of…
Bob Young on The Mystery of Flying Tiger Line flight 739I was supposed to go to Lackland AFB for training as a dog handler. a number of other men from…