CFI’s Bad Choices Turn Deadly – Episode 293
Calling out inappropriate CFI behavior! John and Todd dig into the details of a fatal September 2023 accident involving a night training flight. The student’s regular instructor was not available, and this was the first training with a different CFI.
The CFI’s actions were unprofessional and inappropriate. He uploaded posts to Snapchat before and during the flight.
In a post uploaded prior to the flight, the CFI complained about how long the student took to do a preflight inspection. John Goglia reminds that a preflight inspection should take as long as necessary!
The CFI was the pilot-in-command of the flight. He made critical decisions that put the aircraft in danger and likely led to the crash.
While returning from the night training flight, the CFI ignored storms in the area and pressed on instead of landing at an alternate airport. The plane encountered severe turbulence and broke up in flight, killing the CFI and the student.
In other news, the Mental Health in Aviation Act of 2025 now under consideration in the U.S. would improve aviation safety. Interest in the issue was spurred in part by the latest season of HBO’s “The Rehearsal” in which John Goglia helped highlight pilot mental health issues. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the act, and it is now before the Senate.
This legislation would make it less likely that pilots and air traffic controllers who take medications for mental health issues would keep their FAA certifications. Contact your senator to support the legislation.
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Resources:
NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report ERA23FA380
Public Docket – NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report ERA23FA380
FAA Guidance to AMEs and medications
Video File – NTSB Public Docket ERA23FA380
Witness Statements – NTSB Public Docket ERA23FA380
