AOPA Air Safety Institute Releases New Episode in Accident Case Study Series

FREDERICK, MD – Feb. 28. 2020 – The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a new episode in its popular Accident Case Study video series analyzing a Learjet 35A flight from Philadelphia that crashed while circling to land at Teterboro (TEB) in visual conditions.

In Accident Case Study: Just a Short Flight, AOPA's Air Safety Institute analyzes the links in the accident chain that resulted from dysfunctional operations between a task-saturated captain and an inexperienced first officer flying a demanding airplane in one of the most intense airspace regions in the world.

"The lessons learned from this tragedy apply to all general aviation operations – not just commercial," said Air Safety Institute Senior Director Paul Deres. "We can reflect on this accident to better understand the importance of a focused cockpit, how quickly situational awareness can erode, and the dangerous consequences when it does," said Deres. 

Join the AOPA Air Safety Institute as it examines the circumstances that led to this tragedy. Doing so may help you recognize and avoid a similar mistake. 

Each Accident Case Study video uses actual radio communication recordings and on-scene videos combined with animation developed by technical experts to explain the dynamics of the situation and track the chain of events leading to the accident. 

View the accident case study.