I believe the cause of this near mid air collision was the Tower Controller’s lack of situational awareness. I do not believe he knew we were both on the downwind until he made a mistake. There were two planes in the pattern and a small plane flying a practice approach inbound, as well as a jet inbound, which I believe led to task saturation for the controller and the loss of situational awareness.
Picture of the Day: Big brother
Brad Cohen submitted this photo and note: “A PT-19 looking at his big brother.”
Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show returns
Northern California aviation fans kept their fingers crossed for the 31st annual Pacific Coast Dream Machines Show, a popular event that has been canceled four times over the last five years.
NTSB releases preliminary report on Rob Holland accident
A preliminary report from the NTSB on the crash that killed air show star Rob Holland points to a loose plug as the culprit in the crash.
Cirrus adds Autoland to newest model
Cirrus Aircraft has introduced the Cirrus SR Series G7+, the world’s first single-engine piston aircraft equipped with an FAA-approved autonomous emergency landing system.
MicroAir Avionics names North American distributor
MicroAir Avionics has named EDMO its North American wholesale stocking distributor for the Australian company’s line of avionics, including the M760Q compact radio, T2000 compact transponder, and the new T3000 skySuite line of products.
Pilot seriously injured when he forgets to remove wheel chocks
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to remove the wheel chocks before engine start which resulted in the inadvertent contact with the propeller while the engine was running.
Picture of the Day: History lesson
Jim Roberts sent in this photo with a note: “A youngster gets acquainted with the B-25 ‘Panchito’ at the 2024 SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo.”
The Other Guy Syndrome
Believing a bad thing will happen to the other guy, but not to us, is folly. The bad thing is ever present. It occurs because of insufficient planning, rushed procedures, ignoring warning signs, or just plain laziness. Worst of all, it can happen to any of us — including you and me.