Pilots Killed at Two Air Shows

Series of deadly crashes blamed on lax regulation

(NEWSER) - Russia is now, mile for mile, the deadliest place in the world to fly, the Wall Street Journal finds. Nine fatal crashes—including one that killed an entire professional hockey team —have claimed a total of 140 lives. While eight of the crashes involved old Soviet-era aircraft, experts say the real problem in the former aerospace superpower is the sloppiness, risk-taking, and ineffective regulation more commonly associated with aviation basket cases like the Congo. More»

Pilot went down near grandstand

(AP) - As thousands watched in horror, a WWII-era fighter plane competing in a Nevada event described as a car race in the sky suddenly pitched upward, rolled, and did a nose-dive toward the crowded grandstand. The plane, flown by a 74-year-old veteran Hollywood stunt pilot Jimmy Leeward , slammed into the concrete in a section of VIP box seats and blew to pieces in front the pilot's family and a tight-knit group of friends who attend the annual event in Reno. Three people were killed and more than 50 injured amid a horrific scene strewn with smoking debris. More»

Congo survivor says smuggled reptile caused stampede

(NEWSER) - The sole survivor of a plane crash in the Congo says an escaped crocodile is to blame for the tragedy. The crocodile had been smuggled on board in a sports bag and sparked panic after it freed itself, causing a stampede of passengers which destabilized the plane and caused the crash, the survivor says. Nineteen people, including the British pilot, died, the Guardian reports. More»

Hero pilot will also become part of US Airways' safety management team

(NEWSER) - Chesley Sullenberger, who saved the passengers and crew of US Airways Flight 1549 when he executed daring water landing on the Hudson River in January, will soon return to flying. The hero pilot's return to the cockpit is imminent, the NBC affiliate in Los Angeles reports. In addition to flying, Sullenberger will have some new responsibilities as a "management pilot" on US Airways' safety team. More»

(NEWSER) - Above the Hudson River west of Manhattan, where a helicopter and a light plane fatally collided on Saturday, a pilot can have as many as a dozen other aircraft to monitor at busy moments. Flight instructors describe the river corridor as dangerous and tunnel-like, and government is once again facing calls to step in. "It's the Wild West out there, totally unregulated, and no one knows where these pilots are," one official tells the New York Times. More»