Aviation Safety

Look Before You TaxiThese photos come to us courtesy of Ken Peppard, who took them at the Manassas (Va.) Regional Airport in late August. The Saratogas pilot, taxiing at night, reportedly thought he had cleared the last row of parked airplanes.Fortunately, we are not of aware of any injuries, except to pride and wallet.…

Special Use Airspace charting can be confusing and increase the risk of blundering into areas youre not supposed to. Heres how to tell the difference.

There may be a very light jet in your future as piston and turboprop drivers step up. What will it take for you to become proficient in a jet?

What exactly is the point of Chandelles and Lazy-8s, anyway? If youre paying attention, they teach aircraft control and precision beyond the dull normal of straight-and-level flying.

The challenges of night flying and maintaining good cockpit discipline should be well understood by now.

We never know when an in-flight emergency might occur, and if you are lucky you might fly your entire life without encountering one. Nevertheless, the three rules of handling an emergency-aviate, navigate, communicate-should always be at the forefront should things begin to go wrong. Recently, I had the unfortunate opportunity to put this mantra to the test. …

The following information is derived from the FAAs Service Difficulty Reports and Aviation Maintenance Alerts.Beech (Raytheon) Model 58 BaronChafing Fuel LineWhile retracting and extending the landing gear for adjustment of a drooping inboard main wheel door, abnormal noise and vibration (was noted at mid-cycle). Further investigation found the r/h main landing gear retract rod assembly […]

In the August 2006 article, “Five Ways to Better NPAs,” the author made an error by confusing straight-in approaches with straight-in landings. In the highlighted box called “Defining the Non-Precision Approach” the writer defined a straight-in approach as “a procedure where the final approach course is aligned to within 15 degrees of the runway heading….” This is incorrect; a straight-in approach is one in which there is no procedure turn. …

The late August crash of Comair Flight 5191, a Bombardier regional jet, appears to be an event typifying the old maxim that an accident results from a chain of events. Break any link in the chain and the accident never happens. If, as early reports indicate, the jets crew did attempt to take off from the wrong runway at Lexington, Ky. (LEX), for a rainy, pre-dawn departure, the act of advancing the throttles probably will…

July 1, 2006, Ringgold, Ga.
Cessna 172H
At 1131 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged after a total loss of engine power on initial takeoff climb. Visual conditions prevailed; the Commercial pilot reported serious injuries. The accident flight was the first after completing an annual inspection.When they arrived at the airport, the two co-owners noticed the left wing was lower than the right wing and fuel was draining out of the fuel vent. The fuel selector valve then was turned to the right main fuel tank position. The left main fuel tank was full; an estimated six gallons was present in the right tank. After takeoff, the pilot initiated a right crosswind t…