On November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Belle Harbour, New York shortly after takeoff from JFK Airport, resulting in the deaths of all 265 people onboard and five on the ground. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that the crash was caused by the first officer’s excessive use of the rudder, which overstressed the aircraft’s vertical stabilizer. The NTSB cited the aircraft’s sensitive rudder design and flaws in American Airlines’ training program as contributing factors.

Another tragic incident occurred recently when a vintage military plane operated by Alaska Air Fuel Inc. crashed near a Fairbanks airport following engine failure. Eyewitnesses reported seeing smoke and flames from the engine. Both pilots aboard died in the incident, which involved an attempted emergency landing. The plane was carrying fuel and propane tanks for remote Alaskan villages. The NTSB’s preliminary report noted the separation of the engine from the wing, with further investigation pending to ascertain the exact cause of the crash.

Additionally, a helicopter crash in 2022 involving a Robinson R44 led to the deaths of WBTV meteorologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag in Charlotte, North Carolina. The NTSB attributed this accident to inadequate maintenance inspections, revealing that missing and disconnected hardware caused a loss of control. Following the NTSB report, a lawsuit has been filed alleging negligence by the maintenance facility and other parties for not ensuring proper flight safety standards.

In each of these separate aviation incidents, investigations by the NTSB played a critical role in identifying causes and contributing factors, highlighting varying aspects of aviation safety that needed attention and improvement.