Max Trescott and Rob Mark discuss several recent aviation accidents and new NTSB reports, beginning with a tragic Frontier Airlines A321 accident at Denver International Airport, where a man entered the runway environment and was struck during takeoff. The crew rejected the takeoff at high speed, the right engine caught fire, and multiple passengers reported minor injuries.
The episode then examines the fatal crash of Cessna 421C N291AN near Wimberley, Texas. The aircraft was carrying people reportedly traveling to a pickleball tournament when it crashed at night in IMC with thunderstorms in the area. The pilot reportedly told ATC that the pitot heat had iced up, that the airplane was on backup gauges, and that pitot heat was not working.
Max and Rob also discuss P-51 Mustang N251CS, which crashed at Vicksburg Tallulah Regional Airport in Louisiana after multiple low-altitude, high-speed passes and aggressive maneuvering. Other accidents include Cirrus SR22 N39VF, which deployed CAPS and was later dragged by the parachute across fields, fences, and a highway; Cessna 401B N122AT, which crashed after takeoff before reaching blue line speed; Beech 58 Baron N2063G during an instrument proficiency check; a King Air 300 ditching in the Atlantic; a Quad City Challenger ultralight issue; and Cessna 152 N588BR fuel exhaustion.
The Cirrus went on a Nantucket Sleigh ride, Being dragged like that. An old whaling term describing the wild ride they’d get when harpooning some whales.
That prop failure with all the bolts shearing on ultralights is quite common. A close friend of mine built a weedhopper, the same thing happened. All the bolts sheared in flight. I mentioned it to a work associate, who was a dealer for the Phatom ultralight, he just smiled and said it happens on things more than people know.The Phantom and other ultralights also experience that.
Seems like there are a lot more aircraft accidents these days. Anybody have the latest statistics?
While the Challenger pilot doesn’t have a pilot certificate to take away, the FAA can in such cases pursue a civil penalty (cash dollars) for violations, and, in cases of repeat violations, even turn it over to DoJ for criminal action which can result in incarceration. However, if the report is accurate, I think it most likely they’ll pursue a compliance action like making him learn the Part 107 ultralight rules and limitations instead of an enforcement action.
The pilot of the P51 had a valid low-level aerobatic card, was in waivered airspace. i think it’s a bit unfair to characterize him as “careless” and “making multiple high speed passes at an uncontrolled airport”, when it appears he was operating within the regs