Flight Safety Detectives
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Top 10 Flight Safety Detectives Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Flight Safety Detectives episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Flight Safety Detectives for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Flight Safety Detectives episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Midair Collision Between Cessna 172 and Dash 8 Highlights Aviation Safety Concerns in Mixed-Use Airports- Episode 231
Flight Safety Detectives
07/24/24 • 29 min
A fatal midair collision involving a Cessna 172 illustrates several aviation safety concerns related to pilot training in and around airports with commercial operations. The incident involved a student and instructor on board performing touch-and-go landings and a Dash 8 departing on a passenger flight.
While the event happened in Kenya, the circumstances that led to this accident could happen in any location where airliners and small training aircraft operate out of the same airport. In this case, the midair collision occurred only about 500 feet above the ground and 1500 feet below a broken cloud layer in an area with over 10 km of visibility.
The Cessna 172 was performing touch-and-go landings on from one of the airport's runways. Shortly after the Dash 8 departed from an intersecting runway, the stabilizer of the airliner collided with the Cessna. The Cessna crashed, killing both on board. Todd Curtis and John Goglia analyze the preliminary report, which came out three months after the accident.
They examine the transcript of ATC communications around the time of the accident. Anyone who operates aircraft in similar circumstances could learn something useful from studying this event.
Immediately after the collision, the transcript of the ATC communications stated that during 97 seconds, there was "unrelated transmission from other traffic." Any transmissions to or from aircraft near the collision could provide useful clues into what was known or not known by ATC and aircraft crews in the vicinity.
Related document is available at the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Electrical Failure Leads to 727 Crash in Pacific Ocean - Episode 223
Flight Safety Detectives
05/29/24 • 45 min
The crew of a United Airlines 727 tried to turn back shortly after takeoff from Los Angeles, but did not make it back to the airport. The plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean.
Greg Feith, Todd Curtis, and John Goglia discuss the crash of the 727-22QC in 1969. Electrical failures and electrical system design contributed to the plane crash. The accident happened on a night with limited visibility due to the weather.
The aircraft had three electrical generators, but only two were working. Shortly after takeoff, the crew shut down one engine due to a fire warning. That move shut down one of the two working generators.
John discusses the complexities of 727 electrical systems and other aircraft of the era. The NTSB found that total power loss occurred after all the electrical loads were placed on the one remaining generator.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Use ASRS to Report UAP and UFO Encounters - Episode 234
Flight Safety Detectives
08/14/24 • 52 min
NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) can be used by pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, and others in the aviation safety community to report UAP or UFO encounters without revealing their identity or the identity of their employers.
Todd Curtis discussed this in a June 2024 presentation at the Contact in the Desert Conference in Palm Springs, California. In this episode, he and John Goglia dig deeper into the issue of reporting of these encounters in the aviation community. While neither of them has seen an incident report that mentioned a UFO or UAP, that it does not mean that they have never happened.
Based on his experience in both industry and academia, Curtis believes that if he had come across this kind of information, he would not have included that fact in any report because it would not have been well received by his colleagues.
UAP and UFOs are legitimate risk concerns, but civilian organizations like the FAA have not formally started to collect this kind of data. Todd and John share the factors that they think are barriers to such data collection.
NASA's ASRS database already has at least 13 UAP events, each involving an unidentified phenomenon, an aerospace vehicle with unconventional capabilities, or a conventional aerospace vehicle in an unconventional location or situation. Todd and John discuss the most unusual report, involving an aerospace vehicle that was too small to carry a pilot and that exhibited extraordinary speed and maneuverability.
Anyone with an aviation-related UAP encounter should submit a report to the ASRS to help the aviation community better understand UAP risks.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Fourth Incident for Hughes 369 Helicopter Proves Fatal - Episode 225
Flight Safety Detectives
06/12/24 • 30 min
The fatal crash of Hughes 369 helicopter being used to trim trees has a backstory that gives insight into what went wrong. This workhorse of a helicopter apparently had damage from previous incidents.
The NTSB investigation found cracks in an engine mount that were likely present before the crash. John Goglia and Todd Curtis look beyond the fatal accident and share three previous investigations involving this helicopter. Two involved a crash with serious structural damage or a hard landing. These events may have stressed the engine mounts.
The fatal crash happened when the helicopter was in use for an operation that used a large 10-bladed saw to trim trees close to power lines. The helicopter went into a spin and low altitude and crashed, killing the pilot.
This episode highlights the importance of knowing an aircraft's history. Studying previous events involving a particular aircraft could reveal issues that should be inspected more closely or more frequently. The required 100-hour and 300-hour inspections were completed for the helicopter at the center of this discussion. However, additional inspections would have been smart given the previous accident history of the helicopter.
Related documents are found at the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
John Goglia's Unique Insight into USAir Plane Crash – Episode 171
Flight Safety Detectives
06/21/23 • 41 min
You had to be there to know the full story of the plane crash of USAir Flight 5050. John Goglia was, and he shares the experience.
Todd Curtis and John discuss the fatal 1989 crash of USAir Flight 5050 at La Guardia Airport in New York. John directly participated in the accident investigation as a mechanic with USAir. He shares accident investigation details well beyond the official report.
The extraordinary amount of media attention around the accident and the flight crew impacted the sequence of events. The reported “missing pilots” were only missing to the media, having been moved away from the scene by investigators to protect them from the frenzy. John also reveals how the media got recordings of investigation team status meetings.
Hear details behind key findings:
- Taking off with an improperly trimmed rudder
- Misuse of the autobraking and auto throttle systems
- Crew fatigue and other human factors
John developed an ongoing relationship with the first officer on the flight, who became a fierce advocate for aviation safety. He notes that aviation disasters have a profound impact on the people involved.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
eVTOL Safety – Episode 211
Flight Safety Detectives
03/13/24 • 32 min
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia discuss the crash of a Joby JAS4 eVTOL aircraft to highlight safety concerns and regulatory challenges. Propulsion units used in eVTOLs pose significant safety risks.
The eVTOL in this crash was being remotely flown during a test flight. The aircraft is powered by six electric motors and is designed to take off and land vertically like a helicopter and cruise like an airplane.
John, Greg, and Todd examine how the design of the aircraft, with a unique configuration of six propulsion units, creates several failure modes that don't exist for currently certified passenger-carrying aircraft. While no one was injured or killed in this crash, Greg, Todd, and John explore risks evident in the accident. They call on the FAA to consider these risks during the certification process.
Several eVTOL manufacturers, as well as some manufactures of large jet transports, are designing their aircraft for either single pilot or autonomous operation. These designs make it difficult to respond to unforeseen emergencies. Greg and John note the crew responses to several past aviation accidents and how a single pilot or an autonomous system may not be able to deal with those situations.
Related documents are at the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
UAVs, Advanced Air Mobility and Crowded Air Space - Episode 257
Flight Safety Detectives
02/12/25 • 51 min
Nick Lappos, former Vietnam AH-1 Cobra helicopter pilot and Lockheed Martin Senior Fellow for Rotary and Mission Systems, offers insights on the future of air mobility. The focus is on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and advanced air mobility (AAM).
Nick was part of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) certification task force that just published the report "Challenges to the Commercialization of Advanced Air Mobility.” He shares his expertise on air traffic management.
Together with Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis, he digs into the challenges of integrating UAVs into the air traffic control system. They explore what will be needed to manage all types of air vehicles. The AIAA report outlines a technological framework reminiscent of cell phone networks where UAVs are handled in real time in an autonomous or semi-autonomous way.
UAVs are expected play a significant role in delivery services and other commercial uses. The discussion covers various aspects of UAV integration, including the certification of vehicles, electronic systems, air traffic control issues, and the economic implications of UAV technology.
Extensive planning and cooperation should begin now to ensure a safe future for air space.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Declaring an In-Flight Emergency Can Save Your Life – Episode 208
Flight Safety Detectives
02/21/24 • 32 min
Most general aviation pilots hesitate to declare an inflight emergency fearing negative consequences. Greg Feith, John Goglia and Todd Curtis use a Beechcraft Bonanza plane crash to illustrate how declaring an emergency can be the safest move.
The fatal Beechcraft Bonanza accident in the spotlight of this episode is featured in the book, "Single-Pilot IFR Pro Tips" written by 2019 National CFI of the Year Gary "GPS" Reeves. Known as The Guy in the Pink Shirt, Reeves uses examples from several incidents to illustrate good general aviation pilot habits.
Reeves uses the Beechcaft Bonanza event to highlight the advantages of not waiting to declare an emergency. The Flight Safety Detectives find that this crash is also a classic example of how oversights and bad habits by the pilot in command can lead to an avoidable accident.
They offer life-saving insights into this aviation disaster. The NTSB found that the cause was an improperly positioned fuel selector lever. Greg shares his own experience dealing with an improperly positioned lever. John recounts accidents involving fuel selector levers, including the crash that killed John Denver.
Amazingly, John’s experience is that many general aviation pilots have problems with the fuel sector due to not using them at all and never getting a feel for how they operate.
“It’s not like jumping in the car to go to the grocery store,” John says. “Flying is not that simple. You need to do a thorough preflght, every time.”
If the accident pilot had followed Gary Reeves advice to declare an emergency when problems first develop, the pilot would have been able to land safely at an airport. The FAA would have looked at the scenario as prudent decision making and would likely not have taken any action against the pilot.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Ice Falls from the Sky - Episode 270
Flight Safety Detectives
05/14/25 • 21 min
A 200-pound chunk of ice came crashing through the roof of a house in February. What was the source?
Todd Curtis, Greg Feith, and John Goglia analyze an unusual event involving a large chunk of ice from the sky. The ice fell out of a clear sky and crashed through the metal roof of a home in Florida.
After an investigation, the FAA found no evidence that a plane was the source of the ice. Chemical analysis showed that the ice was not contaminated with chemicals that may have come from an airplane's lavatory.
Twelve to 15 ice fall events occur annually. Since 2000, 78 of these events had no identified origin.
Was it an icy meteorite? Space debris? Someone in the local area launching it with a catapult? The detectives explore these and other possibilities.
This event fits into the category of a UAP, or Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, that is possibly from unknown or unrecognized natural phenomena.
Bonus: Hear Greg’s review of the Mark Wahlberg movie "Flight Risk."
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
Singer Jenni Rivera’s Fatal Plane Crash Examined – Episode 203
Flight Safety Detectives
01/17/24 • 25 min
Todd and John analyze the plane crash that killed singer Jenni Rivera. The report from the Mexican accident investigation found that the Learjet 25 aircraft lost control during climb for reasons that could not be determined.
Key items are missing from the report that concluded that the crash was a loss of control event:
- No analysis results of the flight controls
- No flight data recorder recovered
- No cockpit voice recorder found
- No formal analysis of the pilots
The In the wake of Rivera's death, there have been ongoing rumors that this event was not an accident, a belief that has been supported by a number of television productions.
Todd and John examine the facts, data, and analyses contained in the official report. John adds insight into the lax aviation maintenance and compliance common in Mexico.
The wreckage shows no evidence of an explosion or other deliberate action. The level of oversight that the US and Mexican governments typically have over aircraft that are registered in the US and operate in Mexico adds complexity to understanding exactly what happened.
The Detectives plan a future episode that will focus on the conspiracy theories involving Jenni Rivera's death. They will look at how much, or how little, the facts of the investigation support those theories.
Related documents can be found at the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel, listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website.
Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8
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FAQ
How many episodes does Flight Safety Detectives have?
Flight Safety Detectives currently has 272 episodes available.
What topics does Flight Safety Detectives cover?
The podcast is about News, Leisure, Aviation and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on Flight Safety Detectives?
The episode title 'Aviation Safety with the Flight Safety Foundatio' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Flight Safety Detectives?
The average episode length on Flight Safety Detectives is 41 minutes.
How often are episodes of Flight Safety Detectives released?
Episodes of Flight Safety Detectives are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Flight Safety Detectives?
The first episode of Flight Safety Detectives was released on Aug 23, 2019.
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