Flight Safety

AVweb’s Flight Safety section offers in-depth coverage of aviation safety topics, including accident analyses, risk management strategies, regulatory updates, and pilot training insights. Designed for pilots, instructors, and aviation professionals, this section provides timely information to enhance situational awareness and promote best practices in flight operations.

Meal-Borne Mouse Forces Diversion

Although the ick factor probably justified it, the surprise appearance of a mouse in a passenger meal on a Scandinavian Airlines flight last week forced an emergency landing for a more practical reason. The wire-chewing rodent posed a legitimate threat to the safety of the flight, so the passengers spent some time in Copenhagen before […]

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NTSB Working To Streamline Drone Program

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is working to enhance its drone program by seeking a cloud-based software provider for fleet management, according to a recent federal contract posting. The agency intends to use this software to more effectively track its increasing number of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), which are vital for investigating accidents. Currently, […]

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FAA To Investigate Delta Cabin Pressure Incident

The Federal Aviation Administration said it will investigate an incident involving a Delta Air Lines flight that declared an emergency after it lost cabin pressure—causing passengers to complain of burst eardrums and nosebleeds. On Sept. 15, Delta Flight 1203, a Boeing 737-900 scheduled to fly from Salt Lake City to Portland was forced to return […]

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Whitaker To Explain FAA Role In Door Plug Mishap

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker is being called on the carpet to explain the FAA’s role in the Boeing 737 MAX door plug blowout last January. Whitaker will appear before an investigative subcommittee of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Sept. 25. to discuss the FAA’s oversight of Boeing as a new MAX 9 went […]

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One Dead In Nevada Midair

One person was killed and another injured following a midair collision between a Cessna 206 and Globe Swift at Minden-Tahoe Airport on Monday morning. Phases of flight were not immediately available but the 206, with just the pilot aboard, landed on the runway. The Swift crashed in a field. The airport was closed but one […]

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Weekend Crashes Kill Seven In Alaska

A homebuilder on the maiden flight of his aircraft was one of seven people killed in three separate crashes in Alaska in the last three days. Jon Bergstedt, 71, of Anchorage, had just taken off from Anderson Lake Strip Airport in Wasilla on Saturday and his aircraft, described as resembling a Piper Super Cruiser, crashed […]

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Alaska MAX Crew Rejects Takeoff In Runway Incursion

The NTSB and FAA are investigating a runway incursion at Nashville International Airport on Thursday in which an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX crew rejected its takeoff at about 130 knots when a Southwest 737-700 crossed the far end of the runway it was using. Both aircraft had been cleared by controllers and the Alaska […]

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FAA Under Fire For Space Launch Licensing Delays

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is drawing criticism from both industry stakeholders and members of Congress regarding its handling of commercial space launch licensing During a House space subcommittee hearing this week, industry officials and  lawmakers called out the agency on its implementation of new launch licensing regulations known as Part 450. According to SpaceNews, […]

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NTSB Issues Deicing Safety Alert

As winter approaches, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued Safety Alert SA-097 reminding pilots about the dangers of flying in icing conditions—namely the adverse effects of airframe and propeller icing on aircraft performance. SA-097 emphasizes that “as little as 1/4-inch of wing-leading edge ice accumulation can increase the stall speed by 25 to […]

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Southwest Implements Additional Pilot Training Amid Safety Incidents

Southwest Airlines pilots will be required to complete additional training following a series of safety incidents that triggered a review by U.S. regulators Bloomberg, which obtained the company memo, reports that these one-day training sessions are designed to facilitate discussions among crew members about specific incidents and enhance collaboration for better risk management. The airline […]

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