NTSB

Readers write about the Nov. 13 and Nov. 27 covers, U.S. Navy’s E-2 Hawkeyes and the need for better bladeout safety.

The January 2022 incident occurred at Yampa Valley Airport, Colorado, which has one runway and no control tower.

The process will mandate nacelle design changes on the Boeing 737NG fleet that were prompted by a fatal accident and a related NTSB recommendation.

The FAA has agreed to a pair of recommendations from a GAO audit concerning current procedures for investigating commercial space mishaps.

The new year will bring new certification protocols and at least one draft rule that will affect how the FAA approves new designs.

Assumptions about how quickly a Southwest flight would take off when cleared to go in front of an arriving FedEx flight are a key factor in a close call.

The FAA now plans to issue a draft rule codifying new requirements for manufacturers to disclose safety-critical information during certification in 2024.

A shocking accident fatal to six has prompted collective action by owner-pilots to prevent a recurrence.

The FAA is changing how manufacturers demonstrate engines and nacelles can adequately withstand failures, but the process will take time.

The agency has given Boeing seven years to ensure new nacelle design is installed on the 737 Next Generation fleet.

NTSB engineers investigating the crash of Cape Air Flight 2072 calculated that if the pilot had maintained the same level of deceleration while remaining on the ground, the aircraft probably would have experienced little or no damage.

Richard McSpadden was senior vice president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute.

The FAA also called for organizational changes following the Sept. 12, 2022, uncrewed New Shepard-23 mission.

Switches and associated keys can become so worn that it becomes possible to remove the key from a switch position other than the OFF position.

The FAA wants an initial report within 24 months.

A Learjet 60 took off without clearance at Boston Logan International Airport despite the crew’s acknowledgment of instructions to line up and wait (LUAW).

The agency concludd there was some miscommunication between the captain and the first officer.

A wrong-runway landing by a FedEx crew last year underscores the value that benign incidents can play in flagging safety risks.

Unsecured or forgotten items inside an aircraft can cause dangerous hazards. The NTSB urges pilots to account for all items before and after each flight.

Learning to fly is expensive, attests NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, who is working toward a private pilot’s license.

Unmarked towers can pose a hazard for pilots. The NTSB urges vigilance.

The aircraft-maker has finished its proposed redesign of older 737 nacelles, but it must analyze maintenance-related errors to help mitigate their risk.

Boeing has completed redesign work and retrofit instructions on 737 Next Generation nacelles to better protect them from broken fan blades.

An NTSB update on the occurrence revealed the nose gear suffered a fractured upper lock link.

This amounts to a high-stakes bet that regulations and public acceptance will come together to enable a successful commercial launch in the future.