The setup on this one was straightforward. A 43-year-old student pilot launched on his second solo cross-country in a Cessna 172M, N1870V, from Napa to

If you’ve flown off grass, you know the airplane talks to you a little differently. It rolls longer, it feels a touch more reluctant to

This accident took place late morning at Torrance’s Zamperini Field (TOA) on November 30, 2022. Two pilots—both familiar with the airport—launched to do some pattern

Setting the SceneThis one took place at Galt Field (10C) in Wonder Lake, Illinois, late on a clear November afternoon. A 2017 Extra EA300/LC, registration

Setting the SceneThis one started as a simple hop home on an IFR flight plan after a long day. Three people boarded a Cessna 172S—registration

This one involved a classic Alaska trap: a pretty river, a low pass, and a cable you can’t see until it’s too late. On November

If you’ve flown helicopters long enough, you’ve done that short hop after maintenance where you’re tuned into every sound and vibration. That was the plan

If you’ve flown enough simple out-and-backs, you know how they’re supposed to feel: light, predictable, and honestly a little boring. That’s what this Beech H35

Setting the StageOn a warm June morning in South Carolina, an RV-9A turned final for Saluda County Airport (6J4). The plan was a straightforward full-stop

This one took place on a dark January evening over Auburn, Nebraska. A Cessna 150H, N22859, departed Lincoln for some pattern work at a quiet

This one started like a lot of springtime cross-countries: a long push southbound to Sun ’n Fun, a stubborn headwind, and a pilot trying to

This one started as a simple Saturday hop: Aero Country (T31) up to Sherman Municipal (SWI) in a well-worn Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche. Weather was

The first lesson in a new airplane is supposed to be simple: learn the machine, feel the controls, and keep the stakes low. On October

It started like a lot of proficiency flights do: a clear day, a long runway, and a plan to shoot a practice instrument approach to

If you’ve watched Pilot Debrief for a while, you know I like to walk through accidents the way we’d talk about them in a ready

On a hot June afternoon in Gulf Shores, Alabama, a 2004 Cirrus SR22—registration N432CD—lined up on Runway 27 for its first flight after an annual

Let’s walk through a tough one from Gage, Oklahoma. A 1952 Cessna 170B, tailwheel, 180-horse Lycoming up front, ended up inverted along the edge of

This one started out like a quick turn. A Beechcraft Baron 58P, tail number N2061K, came into Lubbock Executive Airpark (F82) late morning on March

The Setup This one started out like a straightforward reposition flight. A Cessna 414, N4765G, had just come out of an annual at Modesto City–County

If you’ve flown twin-engine training, you know the rhythm: simulate the failure, secure the engine, configure for OEI, and fly the airplane. On May 9,

The Flight That MorningOn June 28, 2022, a Beechcraft V35B Bonanza, tail number N444PM, lifted off from Pearson Field (VUO) in Vancouver, Washington, just after

This one started out as a straightforward familiarization flight in a newly purchased Cirrus SR22, registration N227BD. A private pilot sat left seat, a Cirrus-experienced

Setup and CrewThis one took place on a hot June afternoon over South Texas. The airplane was a 1964 Cessna 182G—solid, simple, and usually forgiving.

Setting the SceneThis one happened on a clear June morning near Colonial Beach, Virginia. A Van’s RV-6, N835BC, lifted from a small private grass strip

It was a warm summer night in East Texas when a Piper PA-32-300, N1403X, lined up for runway 17 at Mount Pleasant Regional. The weather

What HappenedThis one was a hometown return that ended in the worst way. A Piper PA-32-260, N44588, came back to Sebastian Municipal (X26) on a

If you’ve flown at night with weather moving in, you know how quickly a routine training hop can get complicated. This one started as a

It was the day after Christmas, a calm North Texas evening with clear skies and a big, bright moon overhead. A Cirrus SR22, N858RC, was

The midair at Reno Stead on September 17, 2023 unfolded not on the racecourse, but in the pattern—where things should have been winding down. After

This one was a classic ag-turn accident with a modern data trail behind it. On July 22, 2024, Air Tractor AT-602 N602WR went down near

If you’ve been around airshows long enough, you know the energy of a fast-jet demo. The pass is planned, the cadence is rehearsed, and the

I covered a Christmas Day landing accident that, on paper, looked simple: bright sun, short-field grass strip, and a go-around that happened just a few

Dawn at Cable Airport (CCB) in Upland, California. Light winds from the east, 4 knots, clear skies, and good visibility. A Beechcraft P35 Bonanza, N8572M,

Setting the StageOn March 3, 2010, a routine ferry flight across Puerto Rico ended in tragedy at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Airport in Mayaguez. The

A Routine Flight Turns FatalOn the morning of February 25, 2010, a Hawker Beechcraft C23, tail number N180ED, lined up for departure at Winter Haven’s

Setting the Stage On February 28, 2010, a Sunday afternoon in Bristow, Oklahoma, two friends took to the sky in a Hawker Beechcraft C24R Sierra,

The SetupOn a late February afternoon in 2010, a Beechcraft P35 Bonanza, tail number N1521S, was returning to its home field at Lee Airport (ANP)

Setting the Stage It’s the early hours of February 23, 2010. A Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee, tail number N7778W, is on the final stretch of a

An Ordinary Training Flight Begins It was a clear, dry California morning—typical for July. The skies over Murrieta were blue, the winds calm, and conditions