Probable Cause: The pilot’s improper installation of the control stick pushrod assemblies, which resulted in separation of the left pushrod and a total loss of roll control during flight. Contributing to the accident was the failure to detect the installation error during the airplane’s construction, inspection, and subsequent maintenance.
Picture of the Day: End of The Day at 1W1
Henry Spang submitted this photo and note: “Night descends on Grove Field (1W1) in Camas, Washington, at the end of a nice day of flying.”
Maintenance For Thee, Not So Much For Me
Over time, as our weight creeps upward, our resting heart rate climbs, our vital numbers head in the wrong direction little by little, we are playing a dangerous game of chance. For many, our airplanes will outlast us. And there’s little wonder as to why that is. We lavish more care on the aircraft than we do ourselves.
Tribe to Release Minnesota Pilot’s Stinson
The Midwest Flyer is reporting that the Red Lake Nation will release Darrin Smedsmo’s aircraft at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, and the tribe will drop all charges against the Minnesota pilot.
Epic Flight Academy Launches Six-Month Fast Track Pilot Program
Students commit to training seven days a week, dedicating 12 to 14 hours a day to flight training, simulator work, and study, according to officials with the flight school. Students can earn private pilot, instrument, commercial single-engine, and commercial multi-engine ratings in that time frame, they add.
Garmin brings SmartCharts to Garmin Pilot Web
Garmin has integrated SmartCharts into Garmin Pilot Web, offering pilots information tailored to their flights.
Assumptions About Fuel Factor Into Colorado Crash
Probable Cause: The failure of the flight instructor and the pilot to visually confirm the airplane’s fuel quantity during preflight, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and an off-airport forced landing in rough terrain.
Picture of the Day: Study Break
Lindsay Petre submitted this photo and note: “Needing a break from studying for my private rotorcraft, I took a little solo trip around the beautiful springtime Connecticut countryside in the Robinson R22.”
Flying Lower and Slower at 86
At 86, retired attorney Peter Hartmann has transitioned from a fast Turbo Cessna 210 to a lower, slower Lake Amphibian. He shares how a modern digital cockpit keeps him safely flying — and adjusting to the realities of aging in the sky.