The Conversation at AirSafe.com podcast

The year 2008 had the fewest fatal airline crashes in any year since AirSafe.com began it's annual review of airline safety events in 1996. This 13th annual review discusses seven fatal airline events, and fifteen other significant events from 2008. As AirSafe.com looks back at the fatal and significant aviation safety events of last year, the most noticeable fact about this 13th annual review is that 2008 had fewer fatal airline events than any of the previous 12 years reviewed by AirSafe.com. The most was 19 fatal events in 1997, and the previous low was eight fatal events in 2003, 2006, and 2007.

The year 2008 had the fewest fatal airline crashes in any year since AirSafe.com began it's annual review of airline safety events in 1996. This 13th annual review discusses seven fatal airline events, and fifteen other significant events from 2008. As AirSafe.com looks back at the fatal and significant aviation safety events of last year, the most noticeable fact about this 13th annual review is that 2008 had fewer fatal airline events than any of the previous 12 years reviewed by AirSafe.com. The most was 19 fatal events in 1997, and the previous low was eight fatal events in 2003, 2006, and 2007.

The year 2008 had the fewest fatal airline crashes in any year since AirSafe.com began it's annual review of airline safety events in 1996. This 13th annual review discusses seven fatal airline events, and fifteen other significant events from 2008. As AirSafe.com looks back at the fatal and significant aviation safety events of last year, the most noticeable fact about this 13th annual review is that 2008 had fewer fatal airline events than any of the previous 12 years reviewed by AirSafe.com. The most was 19 fatal events in 1997, and the previous low was eight fatal events in 2003, 2006, and 2007.

Update on an 8 December 2008 crash involving a US Marine Corps F/A-18 jet based at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station which crashed during approch about two miles short of the runway. The pilot successfully ejected, but four people, including two children, their mother, and their grandmother were killed in one of the two houses destoyed by the jet. No one else on the ground was injured.

Update on an 8 December 2008 crash involving a US Marine Corps F/A-18 jet based at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station which crashed during approch about two miles short of the runway. The pilot successfully ejected, but four people, including two children, their mother, and their grandmother were killed in one of the two houses destoyed by the jet. No one else on the ground was injured.

AirSafe.com reviews the investigation into a January 2008 incident where an Air Canada pilot became mentally incapacitated and had to be removed from the cockpit. Once the first officer was removed, the captain was able to safely land the aircraft. The event caused some in the aviation community to question whether this kind of incident may have led to serious problems in the past. While a review of the available incident and accident record by AirSafe.com revealed no proven cases of a mentally incapacitated pilot deliberately causing death or serious injury to passengers, there have been several cases where such behavior was suspected, and one case where a pilot crashed an airliner on purpose.

This interview from the Radio America show The Gregg Knapp Experience focused on a TSA behavior detection program that singles out passengers for extra screening based on what the TSA describes as suspicious behavior. Since the program began in 2006, over 160,000 passengers were pulled aside for additional checks such as a pat-down search or an interivew. Less than one percent of those passengers were arrested, often on charges related to drugs or carrying false identification. The TSA didn't mention whether any of those searched or arrested were on any kind of terror watch list, or intended to commit a terrorist act. For more information about what passengers can do to deal with TSA security issues, please visit tsa.airsafe.org. There you'll a number of resources, including extensive information on current TSA rules, advice on packing, advice on traveling with duty free items such as alcohol and perfume, and links to airline complaint resources.

The accident earlier this month involving a Qantas Airbus A330 on a flight from Singapore to Perth seriously injured several passengers, but didn't result in any fatalities. The event drew substantial news media attention in Australia and Asia, but very little attention from major US media. Dr. Todd Curtis of AirSafe.com believes that this may be an example of how when it comes to airline events, it's difficult to get the attention of the US public, or of the policy makers in the US, if no one is killed, especially when there have not been any fatal airline events involving US airlines in over two years. The current 26-month period since the last fatal US event is the longest period without a passenger fatality on a US airliner since airlines in the US first began using jet aircraft in 1958. Dr Curtis suggests that there is always room for improvement, and one way to improve the system is to study the results of accident investigations, including the ongoing Qantas investigation. AirSafe.com provides links to that investigation at http://qantas.airsafe.org.

This show features an interview with Keesin Ng, a passengers on a Qantas A330 aircraft that experienced a violent in-flight upset during a flight from Singapore to Perth on 7 October 2008. About 75 passengers and crew members were injured during this event, with 14 hospitalized with serious injuries such as fractures and lacerations. The interview occurred three days after the event with passenger Keesin Ng, who provides additional details about the in-flight drama.

A Qantas Airbus A330-300, with 303 passengers and 10 crew members on board, was on a scheduled international flight from Singapore to Perth. While in cruise, the aircraft reportedly experienced some type of sudden and unexpected altitude change. The crew issued a mayday call before diverting the aircraft to the airport at Learmonth, near the town of Exmouth, about 1100 kilometers or 680 miles north of its intended destination of Perth. About 36 passengers and crew members were injured, with over a dozen severe injuries. AirSafe.com is providing additional information about the event is available at http://qantas.airsafe.org.

A Qantas Airbus A330-300, with 303 passengers and 10 crew members on board, was on a scheduled international flight from Singapore to Perth. While in cruise, the aircraft reportedly experienced some type of sudden and unexpected altitude change. The crew issued a mayday call before diverting the aircraft to the airport at Learmonth, near the town of Exmouth, about 1100 kilometers or 680 miles north of its intended destination of Perth. About 36 passengers and crew members were injured, with over a dozen severe injuries. AirSafe.com is providing additional information about the event is available at http://qantas.airsafe.org.

A Qantas Airbus A330-300, with 303 passengers and 10 crew members on board, was on a scheduled international flight from Singapore to Perth. While in cruise, the aircraft reportedly experienced some type of sudden and unexpected altitude change. The crew issued a mayday call before diverting the aircraft to the airport at Learmonth, near the town of Exmouth, about 1100 kilometers or 680 miles north of its intended destination of Perth. About 36 passengers and crew members were injured, with over a dozen severe injuries. AirSafe.com is providing additional information about the event is available at http://qantas.airsafe.org.

On September 3rd, 2007, adventurer Steve Fossett took off from Yerington, Nevada on a short flight in a Bellanca Super Decathlon, and went missing. After more than a year, a hiker found some of his personal effects high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California on September 29, 2008. Two days later, authorities spotted wreckage from his aircraft. Possible human remains were also found at the site. The aircraft crashed into a steep granite slope at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, seven miles west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The crash site is about 93 miles or 150 kilometers south of Yerington, Nevada. Pieces of the plane were scattered over a steeply sloped area, with the engine about 300 feet from the fuselage wreckage. There was also evidence of a post crash fire. Fossett was the only occupant.

On September 3rd, 2007, adventurer Steve Fossett took off from Yerington, Nevada on a short flight in a Bellanca Super Decathlon, and went missing. After more than a year, a hiker found some of his personal effects high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California on September 29, 2008. Two days later, authorities spotted wreckage from his aircraft. Possible human remains were also found at the site. The aircraft crashed into a steep granite slope at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, seven miles west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The crash site is about 93 miles or 150 kilometers south of Yerington, Nevada. Pieces of the plane were scattered over a steeply sloped area, with the engine about 300 feet from the fuselage wreckage. There was also evidence of a post crash fire. Fossett was the only occupant.

On September 3rd, 2007, adventurer Steve Fossett took off from Yerington, Nevada on a short flight in a Bellanca Super Decathlon, and went missing. After more than a year, a hiker found some of his personal effects high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California on September 29, 2008. Two days later, authorities spotted wreckage from his aircraft. Possible human remains were also found at the site. The aircraft crashed into a steep granite slope at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, seven miles west of the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The crash site is about 93 miles or 150 kilometers south of Yerington, Nevada. Pieces of the plane were scattered over a steeply sloped area, with the engine about 300 feet from the fuselage wreckage. There was also evidence of a post crash fire. Fossett was the only occupant.