A.L.U.'s Articles — Aviation Lessons Unlearned

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LX: Mohawk Airlines Flight 40

With the Mohawk flight 40 accident, how was safety served when the investigation ignored important evidence?

Stephen CarboneJuly 5, 2022Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LIX: Eastern Airlines Flight 304

Eastern Airlines flight 304 was an accident that resulted from controlled flight into terrain. The accident occurred from either complacency or distraction.

Stephen CarboneJune 5, 2022Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LVIII: Egypt Air MS804

Egypt Air flight MS804 crashed without a clue, leaving no one to discover the factual truth behind the accident.

Stephen CarboneMay 2, 2022Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LVII: Kenya Airways flight KQ431

The Kenya Airways KQ431 accident was unusual in many aspects and, as a popular airliner at the time, required a lot of attention to the details of technical irregularities.

Stephen CarboneJanuary 3, 2022Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LVI: N47BA – Payne Stewart

All aircraft accidents deserve the attention that it appeared N47BA was denied.

Stephen CarboneDecember 6, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LV: Loganair flight 670A

Did Loganair 670A crash due to ice foreign object damage or was the true cause less convenient to investigate?

Stephen CarboneNovember 1, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Aviation Lessons Unlearned LIV: Southwest Airlines flight 812

An event that should never have been reduced to a Brief: Southwest 812.

Stephen CarboneOctober 4, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LIII: Northwest Airlines Flight 255

When Northwest Airlines flight 255 crashed, could the lessons from the tragedy have prevented other accidents?

Stephen CarboneAugust 29, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LII: Eastern Airlines Flight 980

Was the Eastern flight 980 accident misunderstood or was what the Bolivian government’s findings accurate?

Stephen CarboneAugust 1, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned LI: Arrow Air Flight MF1285R

When Arrow Air flight MF1285R crashed in Gander, was it due to aircraft problems or bad decisions?

Stephen CarboneJuly 4, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned L: The Wright Flyer Model A

During a War Department demonstration, the first powered, heavier-than-air aircraft fatality occurred. That distinction had nothing the do with the accident, so why did the aircraft crash?

Stephen CarboneJune 6, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLIX: Three Elizabeth Accidents

Elizabeth, New Jersey, the location of mathematically impossible coincidences. But would the tragedies that took place here result in improvements to last into the next century?

Stephen CarboneMay 2, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLVIII: TWA Flight 841

On April 4, 1979, TWA flight 841 came close to crashing. Despite the chance to look at the aircraft as a whole, the investigation missed many key points.

Stephen CarboneApril 4, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLVII: Wingfoot Air Express

Over one hundred years ago, the Wingfoot Air Express dirigible caught fire over Chicago. Even in those times when accident investigation was non-existent, the root cause was as obvious as could be.

Stephen CarboneFebruary 28, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLVI: British Midlands 92

British Midlands flight 92 crashed just short of the airport. For years, the flight crew was blamed for shutting down the wrong engine, but the report never made clear why they did.

Stephen CarboneJanuary 31, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLV: Eastern 212

Eastern 212 crashed due to a failure to follow procedures. Were these failures preventable?

Stephen CarboneJanuary 3, 2021Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLIV: Korean Air Cargo 6316

The cockpit conversations for Korean Air 6316 demonstrated a crew that was confused and being more so due to unexpected events. The root cause was deeper than a failure to follow procedures.

Stephen CarboneDecember 3, 2020Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLIII: JetBlue Airways Flight 292

JetBlue 292 was an easy accident to investigate; straightforward and uncomplicated. Why, then, were the important points missed?

Stephen CarboneNovember 5, 2020 Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLII: TAM Flight 3054

TAM flight 3054 crashed on landing due to bad decisions that appear to have come from poor training. Did the accident report capture the cultural mistakes?

Stephen CarboneOctober 1, 2020Comment

Aircraft Accidents and Lessons Unlearned XLI: Atlantic Southeast Flight 529

In an attempt to find as many to blame for the Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 529 accident, the NTSB ignored its most important responsibility: preventing accidents.

Stephen CarboneSeptember 3, 2020Comment