Max Trescott and Rob Mark review major recent aviation accidents and newly released NTSB reports, beginning with two breaking accidents: a U.S. Air Force B-52 crash shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California, and a fatal skydiving aircraft crash near Butler, Missouri, involving N221BN, a Pacific Aerospace 750XL/P-750 operated for Skydive Kansas City. That accident killed the pilot and 11 skydiving passengers and raises early questions about takeoff performance, low-altitude options, and the unique operational risks of jump aircraft.
They also discuss N318JF, a fatal Gulfstream G200 crash at La Romana in the Dominican Republic, and N858SD, a Cirrus SR20 crash in Ohio, along with the pilot’s previous icing accident in N406SR, a 2006 SR22.
The preliminary report segment focuses on United Flight 169, a Boeing 767 arriving at Newark from Venice. After multiple runway changes, the crew flew the RNAV W Runway 29 approach, descended below the intended visual path, struck a light pole near the New Jersey Turnpike, and landed safely.
Final reports include N4167G, a Cessna 402B in Puerto Rico with serious maintenance discrepancies; N18BG, a Lancair ES stall while maneuvering for spacing at Oshkosh AirVenture; N3464D, a Champion 7GCBC accident near Eatonville; N14137, a 1934 WACO that entered unexpected IMC; and N6310N, a Citabria training accident in California.
Given AvBrief’s firm stance against AI excess, the atrocities committed on the cover art are hard to overlook.