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Crashing for Cash: Trevor Jacobs pleads guilty

The big news this week is that Trevor Jacob, extreme sports addict and YouTube personality, confessed that he intentionally crashed his aircraft for a sponsored video. He purchased the vintage aircraft, a Taylorcraft B (which is no longer in production) and brought it to Lompoc City Airport. There, it was noticed that he didn’t bother…

Read more… 19 May 23

Flash Airlines flight 604: the Investigation

Last week, we looked at the sequence of events which led to Flash Airlines flight 604 crashing into the Red Sea a few minutes after take-off. This post assumes you’ve already read the previous post. Once it became clear that the Boeing 737-300 had crashed, rescue teams were dispatched. They found the floating remains within…

Read more… 12 May 23

Flash Airlines flight 604

On the 3rd of January 2004, Flash Airlines flight 604 crashed into the Red Sea shortly after take-off from Sharm el-Sheikh International in Egypt. The Boeing 737-300 registered in Egypt as SU-ACF, was destroyed on impact with no survivors. At the time, this was the deadliest air disaster that Egypt had ever suffered, although it…

Read more… 5 May 23

A Special Offer on Pilot Error (out now!)

I’m super excited that my latest book, Pilot Error is SECRETLY available at e-bookstores now (with a new-and-improved cover thanks to your feedback)! Buckle up for an exhilarating ride through the world of aviation mishaps in Pilot Error! Aviation expert Sylvia Wrigley provides an eye-opening exposé of mistakes made in the cockpit, ranging from comical blunders…

Read more… 28 Apr 23

Parachuting to Safety: The Pricey Plunge of the Cirrus SR22

The Cirrus SR22 is famous for its whole-plane ballistic parachute system, which can be deployed upon losing control of the aircraft, saving the lives of the pilot and passengers. A used SR22 will likely cost you over a quarter of a million dollars to purchase and a new aircraft can run a cool million. On…

Read more… 21 Apr 23

Tell Me A(n Aviation) Story

As those of you who follow my personal newsletter already know, I’ve been taking part in a theatre event in Tallinn called Tell Me A Story. Every month, six storytellers get on stage and tell a story …but there’s a twist. Five stories are absolutely true and one story is a lie. There’s a question…

Read more… 14 Apr 23

Accident Reports

CRJ 200 ferry flight crash with 19 on board at Kathmandu

Last week, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission, formed by the Government of Nepal to investigate the accident of 9N-AME on the 24th of July 2024, released their final report. There’s…

Air India 171 Crash Triggered by Fuel Cutoff

On the 12th of June 2025, a Boeing 787-8, registered in India as VT-ANB, was operating as flight Air India 171 for a passenger flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.…

Demystifying

How to tell a Russian Su-27 from a British Typhoon

This is not an article that I ever thought I would feel compelled to write! However, given the confusion over a photograph chosen in a regional English paper, apparently it’s…

How to tell an F-16 Fighting Falcon from a Eurofighter Typhoon

There are a number of reasons why you might need to quickly point out the differences between a General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and a Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon. You might…

History

Gladys Ingle Inflight Wheel Change: Emergency Action or Stunt?

This video of a mid-air wheel exchange goes viral once a year or so, but I never get tired of watching it. Last week, it showed up on Reddit and…

The Disappearance of the Hawaii Clipper May Not Be as Mysterious as Was Thought

This week, we have a guest post by J.B. Rivard who wrote an article for the American Aviation Historical Society (AAHS) and used one of my articles as a reference.…

Fun Stuff

How the B-52 Lands in Crosswinds

I’m here, defeated but not yet horizontal, the victim of a relentless summer cold that feels like the universe’s revenge for something I can’t even remember. If I don’t make…

Friday Lightness: A Short Respite from Crash Reports

It seems a good time for something a bit more lighthearted. After weeks of analyzing serious incidents and technical failures, I thought I could a moment to appreciate aviation humuor…