Max Trescott and Rob Mark return for episode five of NTSB News Talk with a full slate of recent accidents and preliminary reports that highlight critical lessons in decision-making, mechanical failure, and situational awareness.

They start with the tragic crash of a Cirrus SR22 in North Carolina that killed a family of four. The aircraft had experienced electrical issues early in the flight, and despite indications of ongoing problems, the pilot chose to continue to the destination rather than land. Max emphasizes how what may seem like a minor issue—such as an alternator failure—can escalate, especially if the pilot doesn’t fully understand the systems or how cascading failures can emerge.

Next, they examine a mid-air collision in Steinbach, Manitoba between two Cessna training aircraft. Despite clear weather and an active pattern, both pilots were killed. Max reminds listeners that most mid-airs happen close to airports, often on final. Rob adds that see-and-avoid doesn’t always work, especially with sun glare or poor traffic sequencing.

They then move to a bizarre and poorly documented case of a Cessna T240 that departed Ramona, California and flew 400 miles offshore before descending into the Pacific. With no radio contact and the aircraft failing to respond to repeated ATC calls, the case raises the possibility of a medical event or incapacitation. The plane was never recovered.

A medical charter King Air crash in London, UK, is briefly discussed. The aircraft appeared to roll left and crash immediately after takeoff. Rob stresses the importance of immediate rudder input and pitch control following engine failure in twins.

A major focus of the episode is the preliminary report on Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 that lost both engines seconds after rotation. Both fuel cutoff switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF, then briefly back. One pilot is heard asking, “Why did you cut the fuel?” The other responds, “I didn’t do anything.” Rob and Max explore the implications of this odd event, especially in light of a 2018 FAA bulletin about fuel control switch locking mechanisms. Despite the non-mandatory nature of the bulletin, it directly referenced the potential for disengagement of the locking feature. Rob explains how the switches require a deliberate lift-and-pull action to move into CUTOFF, making accidental movement unlikely. Suicide and sabotage are also deemed improbable.

The discussion turns back to U.S. reports, including a crash in Montana where a Cessna 172 flew low and hit unmarked power lines. Max reiterates how hard it is to see wires until it's too late. Rob reflects on his own youthful low-level flying and how little awareness he had of such hazards at the time.

They then discuss a helicopter crash in Alaska. A Robinson R66 pilot operating in flat, snow-covered terrain under a 500-foot overcast likely experienced whiteout conditions and lost situational awareness. Max explains how disorientation is common in visually featureless environments—recounting his own night flight in hazy conditions where city lights and stars blurred...

Max Trescott and Rob Mark return for Episode 4 of NTSB News Talk with critical analysis and commentary on recent aviation accidents and safety investigations. The show kicks off with an update on the fatal Air India Flight 171 crash involving a Boeing 787, which resulted in 241 onboard deaths and 19 fatalities on the ground. A single survivor remains, and while early speculation surrounds the Ram Air Turbine deployment and potential engine failure, official conclusions await India's preliminary report, expected in three months.

The discussion then shifts to the LEAP-1B engine bird strike incidents involving Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX jets. Both flights suffered bird ingestion leading to severe cockpit smoke—traced to a design issue where the Load Reduction Device (LRD) triggered an oil leak into the bleed air system. Though the FAA downplayed the threat, the NTSB issued a safety bulletin highlighting the potential risk, drawing parallels to the MCAS issue that plagued earlier MAX crashes.

Next, Max recaps the San Diego Citation S550 crash, which occurred during an LNAV approach at night. The pilot descended well below minimums—possibly misreading a military-only value of 500 feet on the approach chart. With no weather reporting available at Montgomery Field and several human factors at play, fatigue and poor decision-making appear to have contributed to the crash.

In Broomfield, Colorado, a Beechcraft Travel Air crashed after the pilot reported a door pop shortly after takeoff. The pilot flew an abnormally low pattern and lost control during the downwind leg, possibly due to a stall induced by slowed airspeed. Max and Rob stress that open doors are not emergencies and urge pilots to fly a normal pattern and maintain aircraft control.

Rob covers a fatal floatplane crash near Beaver Island, Michigan, where a homebuilt Avid Magnum impacted water during a low sightseeing pass. Though conditions were reported clear, satellite imagery later revealed smoke and haze that likely obscured the horizon. The glassy water conditions and lack of instrumentation may have contributed to the pilot's inability to perceive altitude, a classic seaplane hazard.

The show also reviews the in-flight breakup of a Cessna 182 in Reliance, Tennessee, caused by continued flight into a thunderstorm and turbulence beyond the aircraft’s maneuvering speed. Shockingly, the aircraft’s BRS parachute was deployed but not connected properly to the structure, rendering it useless.

Finally, the episode covers a Cessna 182RG crash in North Carolina. Witnesses reported an excessively nose-high attitude during a soft field takeoff attempt. The airplane stalled and crashed after barely lifting off. Investigators determined that the pilot likely failed to properly set the elevator trim before...

In this densely packed episode of NTSB News Talk, Max Trescott and Rob Mark discuss several major aviation accidents—ranging from high-profile international crashes to domestic general aviation incidents—emphasizing a recurring theme: loss of control due to distraction, poor decision-making, or misinterpretation of situational cues.

The show opens with breaking news: a catastrophic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff, killing 240 of the 241 people on board. Notably, this is the first fatal accident involving the Dreamliner since its certification. Speculation online points to configuration errors—photos show the gear was down and the flaps were up only seconds after liftoff. The aircraft hit a building a mile from the runway, raising concerns about takeoff mismanagement and checklist failures.

Max and Rob pivot to two significant upcoming NTSB hearings: the Alaska Airlines MAX 9 door plug blowout and the tragic midair collision between an American regional jet and an Army Blackhawk helicopter near Washington National Airport. Both hearings promise new details and will be livestreamed.

Next, they cover a dramatic crash involving a twin-engine Cessna 414 that departed San Diego’s busy Lindbergh Field and spiraled into the ocean. The ADS-B data showed erratic climbs, rapid descents (up to 10,000 feet per minute), and multiple full-circle turns. The pilot seemed confused about altitude assignments and configuration changes. Rob and Max speculate possible vacuum failure, misinterpretation of ATC instructions (e.g., mishearing “13,000” as “1,300”), or general lack of proficiency. They reference the previous day’s flight, captured by VASAviation, which revealed a series of small pilot errors including wrong altitudes, incorrect intercepts, and a runway incursion during taxi—painting a broader picture of degraded situational awareness.

Attention turns to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s preliminary report on the Endeavor Air CRJ-900 accident in Toronto. The aircraft landed in gusty crosswinds and crashed when the right main gear collapsed, resulting in a fiery rollover. Max details how the pilot flying likely reduced power too early in response to being five knots fast. That created a dangerous sink rate—exceeding 1,100 feet per minute just seconds before touchdown. Rob emphasizes how turbine aircraft handle differently from piston aircraft and questions whether the pilot’s limited experience (just over 1,400 hours) played a role. Remarkably, all passengers survived, a testament to fast-responding fire crews and luck.

The duo then examines a runway incursion at Chicago Midway, where a Flexjet Challenger taxied across an active runway just as a Southwest 737 was on short final. Airport surveillance video captured the close call. Fortunately, the Southwest crew initiated a go-around. Rob, based in Chicago, breaks down the confusing taxi route and notes that pilots had already read back one set of incorrect instructions earlier. Max stresses how helpful moving maps are for taxi navigation—especially at night or in unfamiliar airports.

Lastly, the hosts dissect a