Flight Safety Detectives

This episode looks at two aviation accident investigations that were highly complex for very different reasons. One is the well-known TWA Flight 800 investigation where John Goglia and Todd Curtis were both directly involved. The other is a lesser-known 2002 crash of a Cessna 208B aircraft that is the subject of a book by author Leslie Kean.
John and Todd review the crash of TWA Flight 800, an investigation where John was involved as an NTSB Board Member and Todd as support for Boeing. They explore the complexity of the investigation and the efforts made to understand the accident. They highlight the massive amount of data in the NTSB Public Docket.
A different kind of complexity was involved in the investigation of a Cessna 208B aircraft that lost control and crashed shortly after takeoff from Mobile, Alabama. Leslie Kean covers this investigation in her 2010 book "UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record." She calls the accident a UAP event AND Todd agrees.
John was also involved in the investigation as a NTSB board member. The NTSB identified the probable cause as spatial disorientation followed by a loss of control. 
However, one aspect of the accident remains unresolved. Several pieces of the wreckage have red streaks that could not be matched to aviation paint used on civilian or military aircraft. Several organizations were involved in this investigation. Despite multiple analyses of the red streaks, they could not be explained.

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.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.
Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

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In a live episode for members recorded on Jan 26, John Goglia and Greg Feith offer their first findings related to Sunday's crash a Bombardier Challenger 600. 
Both are familiar with the plane and share the issues that need investigating and the steps the NTSB is likely to take on scene. Investigators need to talk to people present that day and learn what happened leading up to the flight. 
They also will need to look into whether the plane was deiced, when and what fluid was used. Runway conditions could have been a factor in aircraft and engine performance.

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.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.
Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

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FAA data shows a steady decrease in U.S. accident rates for general aviation in recent years. But the data may not show an accurate story.
Todd Curtis and John Goglia take a deeper dive into the data. Comparing the FAA rates to a NTSB table listing accidents in general aviation shows that the NTSB data implies that general aviation aircraft crashed roughly 50 times more frequently than airlines and other air carrier flights.
Pilots should check out the website for the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC), an organization that partners with the FAA and other aviation organizations to provide useful safety information. This organization provides information about key aviation safety risks and offers many additional resources.

Pilots and others involved in aviation should to take advantage of this and other aviation educational resources.

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.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.
Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

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A just-issued NTSB advisory warns operators of several Hawker jet models of a dangerous stall tendency not adequately explained in the aircraft's documentation. Todd Curtis and John Goglia share important background and details.
The advisory was issued based on findings from two fatal Hawker jet crashes, one in 2024 and the other in 2025. Both occurred during post-maintenance flights to test the stall warning system. Interesting - the NTSB also noted that it could not find any experience, training, or qualification criteria for pilots tasked to perform a stall test flight or any additional plan or procedures for performing a stall test flight.
The advisory applies to 664 recent Hawker jet models and says about 450 older models may have a similar issue. The advisory includes seven recommendations to address the issue. It also states that the manufacturer's instructions for required post-maintenance test flights were deficient. 
John shares his experience with issues that arise when aircraft return to flight after major maintenance, including pilots who don't take the time to do extensive preflight preparation. In fact, some operators restrict who can fly post-maintenance missions.
The NTSB advisory states that in three accidents investigated the effects the crew experienced when the aircraft entered a stall were much more severe than the aircraft's documentation indicated.

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.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.
Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

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In a December livestream event Todd Curtis and John Goglia tackled listener questions. Listen as they take a deeper dive into some of aviation safety’s most important topics:
TWA 800 investigation – was it a coverup?
Getting NTSB reps on the show to discuss investigations
Taxiway issues
How the media affects air crash investigations
Updates on the Louisville crash
Listen and get updated on these topics and more. 

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.

Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety.
Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to [email protected].

Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.