Hawker Stalls Lead to Surprising NTSB Advisory – Episode 312
A just-issued NTSB advisory warns operators of several Hawker jet models of a dangerous stall tendency not adequately explained in the aircraft’s documentation. Todd Curtis and John Goglia share important background and details.
The advisory was issued based on findings from two fatal Hawker jet crashes, one in 2024 and the other in 2025. Both occurred during post-maintenance flights to test the stall warning system. Interesting – the NTSB also noted that it could not find any experience, training, or qualification criteria for pilots tasked to perform a stall test flight or any additional plan or procedures for performing a stall test flight.
The advisory applies to 664 recent Hawker jet models and says about 450 older models may have a similar issue. The advisory includes seven recommendations to address the issue. It also states that the manufacturer’s instructions for required post-maintenance test flights were deficient.
John shares his experience with issues that arise when aircraft return to flight after major maintenance, including pilots who don’t take the time to do extensive preflight preparation. In fact, some operators restrict who can fly post-maintenance missions.
The NTSB advisory states that in three accidents investigated the effects the crew experienced when the aircraft entered a stall were much more severe than the aircraft’s documentation indicated.
Resources
NTSB Aviation Investigation Report AIR-26-01
NTSB Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report ANC26FA002
NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report WPR24FA083
NTSB Aviation Investigation Final Report CHI06IA127
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