“In this real pilot story, a father explains how a routine flight with his son turned fatal. The pilots’ familiarity with the terrain gave them an illusion of security, and they succumbed to the allure of complacency,” said AOPA Air Safety Institute Vice President of Operations Paul Deres.
Air Safety Institute
Flight training is getting safer
While flight training is getting safer according to an updated report from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute, there is still “plenty of work to do, particularly in mitigating the risk of loss of control in flight.”
Fatal Flight Training Accident Report released
A collaboration between the AOPA Air Safety Institute and the Liberty University School of Aeronautics, the study covers fatal training accidents in the United States, offers a breakdown of accidents and their causes, and concludes with accident prevention and mitigation recommendations.
Real Pilot Story: Trouble Over Paradise
In “Real Pilot Story: Trouble Over Paradise,” Cessna Caravan pilot Ken Allen experiences piercing pain to the right side of his head during an otherwise routine flight. A quick-thinking passenger pulls Ken from the cockpit, stopping the ensuing nosedive, and radios ATC for help.
New video offers tips to avoid and escape ice
“Structural or airframe icing, the focus of this video, is a major cold-weather hazard, especially for instrument-rated pilots who fly in instrument meteorological conditions. This type of icing causes about five accidents a year with nearly half being fatal,” said Air Safety Institute Senior Director Paul Deres.
Accidents up in 2021, but increase in flight hours creates downward trend
The report notes an increase in total accidents from 1,050 in 2020 to 1,124 in 2021, including 202 fatal accidents. However, 4 million additional flight hours — compared to the previous year — helped offset the increase in accidents, according to AOPA officials.
New video focuses on how to depart safely in low IMC
“How to Depart Safely in Low IMC offers tips on using tools to stay clear of obstacles when visibility is low,” said ASI Senior Director Paul Deres.
GA remembers AOPA’s McSpadden
The aviation community is remembering Richard McSpadden, senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Air Safety Institute, who died in a plane crash Oct. 1, 2023, near Lake Placid, New York.
Video: Managing Weather Deviations
“Managing Weather Deviations offers tips on safely navigating around adverse weather,” said Air Safety Institute Senior Director Paul Deres.