Pilot's Reckless Mistake Kills ALMOST Everyone!

[@pilot-debrief]

I wish we had the CVR to know what was said between Bobby and Eric. I want to be clear that Eric is not to blame for what happened - he might have been able to prevent this tragedy, but he probably trusted Bobby like everyone else did. Here's a similar King Air tragedy involving a pilot that made several reckless mistakes and crashed just 17 seconds after takeoff: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXTVe6miot95hrs

[@TheGospelQuartetParadise]

If Bobby had gone to such lengths to hide his medical conditions, chances are he probably didn't tell Eric, either. And, if Eric were a responsible pilot, he may have refused to fly with him. Does anyone know what happened to the survivor and her siblings? Did they have other relatives that took them in, or did they enter the foster care system?

[@johnsenetto7935]

I agree with you on that. The front pilot passenger surely had total confidence in the pic. Unbelievable how a pilot with that much experience was so reckless in his behavior. Especially when carrying passengers!! So sorry for the young girl and her siblings. Wow

[@TheGospelQuartetParadise]

@@johnsenetto7935 I guess this was a pilot who had the mentality of some pilots who would rather be dead than be grounded. That selfishness cost others their lives, included the pilot-rated passenger.

[@BostonBuzz]

I'm pretty sure very little was said between the 2 pilots. Pilot rated passenger prob just let the pic do his thing.

[@TheGospelQuartetParadise]

@@BostonBuzz I'm sure if the Pilot-rated passenger had know the PIC's medical history, he would not have risked his own life by flying with him.

[@imthebest4273]

I've had my private pilot license for 40 years. Recently, on my last flight, I realized that my vision was less than what I expected and, at 67, I decided that would be my last flight as PIC. Tough choice but the right choice.

[@henrywight4057]

I've had my private, instrument for almost 30 years. My last flight was a few years ago before my heart surgery. My BP went up and i lost my medical. Then I had open heart surgery. That was it for PIC time.

[@imthebest4273]

@@henrywight4057 You're wise and made a very good decision. God bless you!

[@buruzn09]

Thank you for not letting pride and love of flying get in the way of safety. Respect!

[@JimPaloAlto]

Congratulations for exercising humility in your decision. "Happy is he who has overcome his ego." (Buddha)

[@robertgary3561]

@@henrywight4057 If you haven't failed a class 3 you may qualify under basicmed. Of course you can also fly part 103 or gliders.

[@LanceRomanceF4E]

I had a brutal de-brief with my 78 old father (retired fighter pilot) who was still flying his former company’s TBM 850 single engine turbo. He flew the airplane single pilot, no passengers on short hops on company errands free of charge just to keep flying. Hadn’t flown with him in 3-4 years and was shocked how bad he was. He relied completely on auto-pilot, made several errors entering the flight plan, was slow and deliberate for routine check list items and ATC had to repeat every radio call. His overhead visual patterns were dangerous. I told the company chief pilot to never let my dad to fly that airplane again. I sat down with dad to de-briefed our three hop sortie. He did not recognize his errors, kept mentioning he passed his flight physical and had 1,200 hrs in the airplane. With 2,000 hrs in F-4s and F-111s myself I went into StanEval mode and told him he busted his check ride with an overall grade of 4 (dangerous). He looked shocked. The show stopper was me telling him I would never fly with him again. I was not current or checked out in any aircraft, let alone the TBM 850. I never told him what I told the chief pilot, but he never flew again. Dad died a few years ago at 84 peacefully in his sleep. He didn’t die tense like I’m sure he would have if I didn’t step in.

[@DavidKoppana-iq8jr]

Getting old is hell. I respect that you were not willing to name your father by name. It is OK to criticize people anonymously. Fortunately, there were no accidents involving your father. Poor pilot ability.

[@azopene]

It's sad they will not admit they shouldn't be flying or in the case of my father driving a car. Even with new glasses he could not pass the eye test. He complained it was a conspiracy against old people. Maybe it is, i don't know. He actually called the police on me for stealing his car keys and stealing his car too. The cops understood. This was when he was 89 years old. He lived another14 years(103 years old) and never forgave me.

[@LanceRomanceF4E]

@@azopene you did the right thing, probably saving a stranger’s life as well as his own

[@LuckyXerxes]

scary thing is that all our armed are directed by people who are as old if not older

[@kpNov23]

​@azopene they're stubborn fools.

[@lostsailorinthekeys]

Thanks for creating these videos. I'm an old guy that, other than work, really doesn't get out much anymore. So my leisure time is mostly spent reading and watching videos on whatever topic I'm currently into. I'm an armchair Everest/K2 climber, armchair U-boat and shipwreck specialist, armchair Manhattan Project engineer, and now an armchair aircraft accident investigator! Thanks for giving me a new hobby to check out and learn all about. Aircraft accidents are very logical in that there are always reasons why there was an accident, what was done wrong. Why a pilot did them is not always logical, though. But figuring out what went wrong from the data is very logical. And your massive aviation knowledge allows you to decipher all the data available. You're very good at it and very logical in your presentation to us that even an armchair guy like me understands. Thanks for doing that. So anyway, thanks again. I'm learning a lot and I really enjoy watching the pieces put together, the Swiss cheese holes lined up, to understand what happened. I've been contemplating getting my private pilot license. Perhaps one day a lesson from your videos will save my life and/or others.

[@bajoobiecuzican]

Well said ❤

[@ygm_dom6702]

Do you watch the show Aircraft Disasters on the Smithsonian channels. You would love it!😊

[@pcaviator687]

Another fantastic debrief Hoover. This total disregard for not reporting his medical issues to the FAA is beyond sickening. It seems like the majority of these tragedies are not due to mechanical issues with the aircrafts themselves, but involve complacent, careless or arrogant pilots. I can't imagine how horrible that 13 yr old girl must have felt, not only surviving the crash, but losing both parents. Truly a sad and preventable outcome.

[@pilot-debrief]

The irony of this tragedy is that Tony Fisher was a big philanthropist and he likely would have ensured Bobby got the time off and medical help he needed if Bobby had just asked. We'll never know how long he was flying for the Fishers or what that relationship was like though.

[@HeywoodJablowme222]

While I’m not disagreeing substantively, as a proud American I can still say that our medical system, and our social safety net (or lacktherof), makes decisions like this really, really hard. I’ve had times in my life where I was essentially just crossing my fingers and hoping not to get sick. The severity of his medical issues would’ve been insanely intimidating; many months off work without pay, and no-doubt enormous insurance donut holes draining his bank accounts. This country makes decisions like Bobby’s way harder than they should be, even if (to Hoover’s point) he did have a wealthy/philanthropic client in his corner.

[@FOBob-sr1fd]

@@HeywoodJablowme222 We'll never get universal healthcare as long as both parties keep getting "donations" from the insurance industry and the malpractice lawyers.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

This was indeed another amazing debrief. A lot of people can learn from this.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@pilot-debriefI agree with everything you say. However, since January 2021, I’ve understood how dysfunctional the FAA is in regards to medical stuff. They are decades behind. In January 2021, I caught Covid on one of our flights. On day six, while at home with no symptoms, turned out, I’m one of 1500 people who get blood clots. My arms started to hurt, went to the hospital but had a short, 30 seconds light heart attack that barely damaged my heart and my heart’s health is just like a healthy person. My cardiologist is in the same practice as one of 6 FAA cardiologist nationwide who goes to Wichita once a month to decide if pilots can get their Medical’s back after heart issues. So I’m in a unique situation, where I talk to a regular cardiologist and a cardiologist that knows the ins and outs of how the FAA works. Why do I mention this? Because the FAA is so far behind in medical times, that my “faa cardiologist” tells my normal cardiologist to not do certain things, certain tests. Because they can have false results and would instantly take my medical away from me. Example, my cardiologist wanted me to have a heart monitor for a whole week. This was more for me, so he could show me: “see, even when you go for a run and push yourself, your heart is fine”. The “faa cardiologist” advised us to not do the monitor. Because in a week, if the monitor loses its connection and reads the heart bad for even a few minutes, this could trigger a red flag with the FAA, my medical would be revoked and I would have to do extensive testing, just to make sure it was a mechanical failure of the monitor and not a medical issue. This is the reason why things need to change with the FAA in regards to those type of things.

[@msromike123]

So infuriating. I lost my medical and will never fly again. In general, pilots that don't follow one rule tend to ignore others. This includes weight and balance, maneuvering speed and minimums to name a few. You must operate the aircraft IOW the aircraft operations manual. Flying is simply too risky for anyone who will not follow the rules. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE.

[@giggiddy]

I apologize for you losing your medical as I can only imagine that wS a huge blow to you, for many reasons. But thank you for taking that seriously and not flying until it can be corrected. You are a good human being. Many don't have your integrity. God bless

[@m.h.6499]

Ditto. Thank you for putting other lives first, whether you were required to or did so voluntarily. I see it as a noble sacrifice. I hope your life is offering peace, fulfillment in some way, and rewarding connections with others. A stranger wishes you well and sends good thoughts through the wires.

[@hefeibao]

I'm going to put this on a coffee cup, excellent quote "Pilots that don't follow one rule tend to ignore others."

[@colin-nekritz]

Thank you, sir, for doing the right thing. That's a class-act thing to do. My grandfather was crushed when he gave up his medical after 40 years of flying, but he said if he crashed with my grandmother (his wife of 50 years) or crashed into a house or killed anyone on the ground, he couldn't live with himself. He gave up his driver's license only 5 years later, saying the same thing, if he was driving and crashed, killing my grandmother or another driver, he couldn't live with himself. More men need to use more empathy for other people and realize it's not just their lives they might destroy through wreckless action, but the lives of others. Real men know when to say when.

[@sectorcodec]

You can still fly a light sport

[@timothyhess9403]

I was an eyewitness to this crash. I worked at the airport at that time and was getting my instrument rating. When I heard him on the radio to land at Fitchburg, my boss said “you want to see a plane with ice on it? Let’s watch this” he was going very slow on downwind with gear down and very close to the runway. He made a very tight turn to base and final. As we all watched, I said “he’s going to crash”. The weather was just below freezing with drizzle and clouds right around pattern altitude. I also went to the crash minutes after. Something I shouldn’t have done…..

[@will5989]

😮.

[@johnsmith-ug5tp]

I hear ya, I have witnessed car accidents, one time right behind a car during a snowstorm that hit a jackass that walked right off a curb from behind an obstruction into the road and he went up and over the car and I almost ran over him. His head was cracked open. Another time I saw a 9 yo hop out in front of a car and his head was cracked open on a cold crisp morning at school and I watched his steaming blood oozing out of his head. I had to walk down the wooded path behind the high school. I almost puked. I once hit a jackass on a bike that ran a stop sign and he flew through the air 20 feet and was tangled in the old style steel rope wooden post guard rails with one leg broken and twisted behind him and his head was gushing blood. When I see or come upon an accident I call 911 and keep driving! I have had my share of seeing messed up stuff and i dont want to again! Not to mention, if you give a statement to the cops the defendant and the prosecutors subpoena you and twist your words around yell at you! One time, I went berserk in the attorney's office of the guy that was hit by the car in front of me in front of the stenographer and the couple and their attorneys at the big conference room table. The attorney was yelling at me about my statement to the police and my testimony 15 months after the damn accident because I was off 5 mph off from what I said 15 months earlier. Even the stenographers woman's face was like, this is totally unacceptable and she saw me ready to blow and I yelled, Its not my f**king fault after almost a year and a half i cant remember every damn detail! Its not my job! The weasel attorney came right up to me and leaned over the edge of the table and got right in my face and started yelling. I lost it and backhanded him and slammed my chair back, flipping it on the floor and pinned that weasel up against the weasel the wall and showered him in spit and volume! He put his hands up and coward in fear! I humiliated him in front of everybody and walked out. He had a sheriff show up at my house with a subpoena to show up for the trial. The Sheriff told my gf at the time. I know he is here. But I think it's best that I not hand/ serve him. I read what he did in the attorney's office and I can't blame him. Ir's best for everybody, he not show up for the trial. haha

[@CGriffinGo]

Tora spoke about this crash (Tedx Talk) on KZbin ten years ago. Her topic was resilience. She's incredibly well-spoken, beautiful and is a talented singer/songwriter. It's definitely worth watching.

[@thecomedypilot5894]

Simp..

[@CGriffinGo]

@@thecomedypilot5894 My name's Christie ...

[@billpugh58]

TED talks? No thanks.

[@agawtdangedbear]

@@thecomedypilot5894 Huge difference between being a "simp" and saying something nice. You'll figure it out one day, lil guy.

[@agawtdangedbear]

@@thecomedypilot5894 You are correct. This does not change the point of my first comment: just because someone says something nice doesn't mean they are a "simp". It's just basic logic. Just because some of 'A' is 'B', and some of 'B' is 'C', does NOT mean that all of 'A' is 'C'. Also, I can see your youtube channel and everything about you, since a large portion of your generation is completely incapable of not posting every single self-identifying piece of information online, so I'm not sure why you're acting like you are anything but a precious little boy.

[@karenglenn6707]

My businessman father flew for many years in Victoria Australia and used to take us up every weekend which we loved. My dad was the most thorough and competent man that I have ever known and I always felt so safe with him. Flying was his passion, he felt completely free up there and he ended up buying an air charter company in Melbourne with lots of different planes. He voluntarily stopped flying when he was 72 due to heart issues, he felt that he was a risk to others, but he missed it until he died in December 2022 aged 87, from heart failure. I’m so glad that I had those wonderful times with him when I was in primary school, he was a great dad to us all.

[@karlthomas2429]

I met Tony Fisher and his daughter Tora, when I assisted with the building of both Fisher houses at Landstuhl, Germany. They were both very kind, humble, and gracious people. I also recall the father and daughter pair dancing together at the post dedication party on the second house built there. I pray for their families.

[@2140BlackCreek]

Hoover, I really enjoy your debriefs. I am an retired airline pilot that went back into GA as a CFI. It was not unusual for me to observe that even higher time GA pilots did not apply or understand a crew concept to the operation of a more complex aircraft or when in a complex environment. True, the King Air requires only a single pilot, but two pilots working as a team make it easier and safer. As to the PIC's medical status, OMG. My comments about his self awareness is best unsaid.

[@jeffg7]

Two pilots *can* be better than one, but there has to be a lot of clarity on roles and procedures to take full advantage. You already know that even pilots who are trained to work together still brief as a team in an airline environment before a flight, which is an important reason why crewed operations are so much safer than single pilot. In ad hoc GA ops, even with well trained and experienced individual pilots, the team concept doesn't come into play very often because it wasn't specified in advance.

[@Dr_V]

As a medical doctor I can tell you that man shouldn't have been allowed to drive a car, yet alone fly any kind of aircraft. Carbamazepin alone slows down reflexes and can impair decision making (to some extent), but in combination with morphine is even worse than most illegal drugs, because Carbamazepine greatly amplifies the neural effects of morphine. This is a well known interaction (in the medical community) and I'm surprised someone even prescribed this combination to a non-hospitalized patient.

[@mattmcgovern230]

Hoover's intellect, knowledge and professional is off the charts!

[@ygm_dom6702]

He is an amazing pilot😊

[@steveo3831]

Yeah. He’s only USAF Lieutenant Colonel with 20 yrs of combat experience and leadership…

[@ac.7724]

The NTSB could use him.

[@Al-Storm]

Using the honor system with self-reporting for flying is insane... Pilots medical history should be verified by the licensing board, regularly.

[@reneblanco1]

Your debriefings are the best I've ever seen and heard. I have 25,000 Hrs, my last aircraft was the A-330 International, flew A-7Ds and instructed the King Air 200's and 350 for five years. The King Air is a complex aircraft, it's one of the hardest type ratings (the 350i is required). I was also Safety Chairman at KCLT with AA. You are absolutely an excellent aviation safety thinker. It helps a lot for those who watches your videos, whether experienced or low timers.

[@douglasb5046]

Type rating for a turboprop??

[@calvinnickel9995]

@douglasb5046 Type rating for anything over 12,500 lbs. The King Air 350 is a 15,000 lbs aircraft.

[@pilot-debrief]

Thanks so much!

[@ac.7724]

Pilot Debrief is the best. He sticks to speaking about the incident instead of going off topic, telling jokes etc.

[@derbagger22]

As soon as I saw the title, I knew exactly what this crash was about. I work as a chauffeur and my colleague was the one who was supposed to pick them up at Hanscom and then at Fitchburg. Amazingly, I had just looked up to see if I could find anything about the girl who survived not even a few months ago. Thank you for posting this video. It was great to see this girl adapting and thriving in the wake of such tragedy...

[@mrkc10]

Great debrief. Huge tragedy that should’ve never happened.

[@codymccormick3593]

Hey Hoover! I just wanted to say "hi!". Former US Army snake doctor (also crewed UH-1, UH-60, CH-47), and radar ATC, mostly tactical. A particular group of F-15 divers in the '80s in Nevada tagged me with the call sign "Toad". I still go by it for the reason I earned it. Great channel, brother! All the way! (No, I never jumped out of a perfectly good aircraft.)

[@gcorriveau6864]

Choosing to ground oneself due to health conditions is a life altering decision - usually with horrendous financial and personal implications. While it is one of the hardest things a pilot will ever be called upon to do - it is part of our most significant honor/social contract with our passengers: Namely - that we will never put our own interests ahead of your SAFETY. Bobby failed to live up to this contract. So sad. Thanks for posting this.

[@petemiller2598]

Even aside from grounding himself for chronic medical conditions, it sounds like this individual refused to even receive urgent medical attention for **acute** medical conditions. Being told by a doctor that you need to be admitted to the hospital to get IV antibiotics or else potentially lose the limb and become septic, but you decide to LEAVE the hospital with no treatment? With multiple open, necrotizing wounds??? What kind of insane judgment is that?!

[@bdcochran01]

I agree. Now, I am older. It takes guts. I don't go up on ladders. A girl friend gave up skiing and sold her condo in Tellurite. Another female acquaintance did not give up horseback riding and has had multiple surgeries on his risks after being thrown.

[@alisonwilson9749]

@@petemiller2598 In the US, with high charges for medical care, and often little or nothing in the way of sick pay, I suspect it's more likely than countries with socialised medicine and employment rights like ours in the UK.

[@barbarachambers7974]

You can get away with a lot until you can't. It seems it is the smallest actions have the most profound consequences. RIP to all who died in this tragedy 💔

[@russell-di8js]

Flying on morphine!! Dude must have been nodding like a right smackhead, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzWTF???

[@mustardseedist]

No RIP for the unsaved.

[@paulis7319]

I was working on my instrument rating in college when this happened and we went over it in class. As much as I've always enjoyed steep banks and aerobatic maneuvers, this accident taught me not to combine adrenaline-fueled maneuvers with IFR conditions. So, Bobby's horrific mistake possibly saved my life, and the lives of many others who were in flight school with me at the time.

[@festerofest4374]

I would hope that all new pilots especially would watch this excellent channel along with BlancoLirio. A ton of great learning available outside of the normal pilot instruction.

[@theoneonly259]

Prety sure you could have learned that lesson without this tragedy right? Are some kind of idiot?

[@petemiller2598]

Leaving the hospital against medical advice, when you have multiple open, necrotic wounds is wild. "I have to work tomorrow." I'm sorry, what??? The doctor is telling you that you could become septic! You can't go to work if you're dead!

[@N34RT]

To clarify, the King Air 200 series do NOT require a type rating under FAA regs because max. certificated takeoff weight is 12,500 lbs. (ATP professional corporate pilot with 35 years experience, 2,500 in T-Tail King Airs, 5 type ratings, 12,800 hours total)

[@JF-fx2qv]

Do you feel that requiring a “TYPE RATING” would be wise?

[@RycoonGalloy]

really? I thought it was 15000 max takeoff weight that the b200 can do (at least the T and CT variants)

[@Rotuma1260]

@@RycoonGalloy Some are legally 'modified" to allow a 14,500# max takeoff weight, and those do require the pilot to have a BE-200 type rating, as do the King Air 350s. It's unusual that the standard -200s don't require it, but again, that's because of their lower standard MTOW.

[@Rotuma1260]

@@JF-fx2qv Insurance companies may require a thorough checkout and perhaps some supervised flying, but the King Air isn't so hard to fly if pilots are diligent. Many years ago, in a rare move, Mitsubishi petitioned the FAA to require a type rating for the MU-2 series because that is much harder to fly, and there were many crashes by inadequately trained pilots.

[@rael5469]

Just a question to further clarify........is a type rating available for the King Air 200 series ?

[@newmexrob99]

I have never had the desire to be a pilot . Watching these videos is as close as I will ever get. Hoover presents the details of these mishaps in such a straight forward, logical way that I can understand the physics of flight. Thanks again you are my most watched subscription on youtube

[@Justin-id3km]

My medical got deferred and it has been months trying to satisfy what the FAA wants. I’m still waiting for an answer to see if I get my medical certificate back. It sucks not being able to fly, but it’s very important to be honest on your medical application for these reasons. Very sad

[@russell-di8js]

Thanks Hoover & all at PD. I'm no pilot but can recognise lack of judgement when it confronts me, the pilot put his own ego before everything else & his childish behaviour cost lives unfortunately. Condolences to the family, friends & loved 1s left behind. So many shocking decisions made by reasonable people in these videos.

[@usethenoodle]

This accident was in 2003. It reminds me of NASA Astronaut Elliott See who was trying to make a circular approach in low ceilings and bad weather in a T-38 Talon. He had a back seater, Charles Bassett and they were trying to land at the McDonald factory in St Louis's Lambert Field. In the process of tightening the turn, he lost altitude and struck the factory building where their Gemini spacecraft they were to fly on an upcoming mission was being built. They were intending to look over the progress being made on the spacecraft. Bassett and See were killed instantly, Bassett being decapitated and a few people inside the building were injured. The spacecraft was unharmed. The T-38 came to rest in a storage lot behind the building as a post crash fire erupted. Bassett and See are interred in Arlington National Cemetery. This was in 1966. These are both terrible tragic mistakes.

[@BlueWaterSTAX]

Excellent debriefing Sir. We appreciate you Hoover. Thanks

[@henrychinaski846]

As a PPL student pilot in Germany, I'm binge watching your videos. Very soon I'll be PIC and have the responsibility for other people's lives. Your debriefings may save lives! Be proud of your work, please! You are helping fellow pilots to make better decisions! Surely this is entertaing, but for pilots and their passengers you can be a life saver. Thank you Sir!

[@oldguyofarizona8602]

Hoover, yours is the only accident review channel I watch because I can count on a thoroughly researched facts rich explanation of what is inevitably a tragedy. Rather than racing to be first with an uninformed opinion and criticism of dead people, you wait until the game is over to call the score. Thank you.

[@bajoobiecuzican]

You cover these tragic events so thoroughly! Thank you 🙏

[@johningram9081]

Always look forward to your videos even though most are tragic. Your intelligence and comments hopefully save lives. Please keep up the great work.

[@FlyingDoctor60]

I think one of the most interesting things about your videos is how you humanize the tragedy by introducing us to the victims, while at the same time emphasizing that the purpose of the debrief is to look at the facts dispassionately and take the emotion out of the equation so that we can learn from the mishap and avoid making the same mistakes. I have followed mishap investigations for decades; your approach really brings home the human aspect of every one without sensationalizing it. All of us who operate vehicles for others, be they planes, boats, cars, or whatever, owe it to our passengers to do our best every trip, cutting no corners and ignoring no rules. They trust us with their lives. Our preparation and performance should be worthy of that trust.

[@rolandsilvajr1]

Uber first thank you for all your videos. You’ve probably saved a ton of lives. I haven’t flown for a while, but I do have my private pilots license and I really want to get back into it, but I’ve had a lot of things come up my life that really prevented me can do that, but I have flown on a Fitchburg and it’s some really really short runways and it’s kind of windy cause it’s kind of down in a valley but it’s really small. It’s like almost like a call Dan that can be notoriously, dangerous, and tough to fly intoso that that if he was doing the banks that area and it doesn’t surprise me that this happened at all that is crazy. Fitchburg is difficult to land and I flew out of Bedford and I was assessed 172 and it was very very difficult to fly out of, but thank you for all your your videos and you do an unbelievably great job.

[@rolandsilvajr1]

Sorry Hoover. Darn autocorrect. But watch your videos all the time. Gets me excited to get back into it at 65. You are saving allot of lives and making these tragedies really mean allot to those left behind

[@CDM1957]

I really like the detail you provide for your videos. You certainly do your homework and due diligence.

[@archer494]

Thanks Hoover. Another very interesting debrief. As a novice pilot I am learning a lot from your channel and I especially hope I will never get myself into a situation where I make really dangerous mistake or get behind the aircraft and then simply become overwhelmed with the workload like it happened in several of your videos.

[@carysecrest1827]

Thank you for your evaluations. Always informative. Inactive private ticket Cessna 172/182 driver here...I recognize some of my past mistakes from your videos (of which no harm resulted, e.g. VFR into IMC and recovery). If I fly again I'll be better informed.

[@TheHaratashi]

Even without the mental and physical problems the pilot was plagued with, he still shouldn't have been flying since he didn't understand basic things like bank and turn angles. That's insane.

[@ValerieGriner]

You had me when you said that the pilot was on MORPHINE. Wow! I can't believe he would be flying with his medical problems...very selfish, indeed! RIP to all who perished. I hope the survivor is okay.

[@gvrpresentsbearwilliams]

Thank you for all your hard work Hoover! This is so sad and you’re right… this never had to happen. My condolences go out to all those affected by this tragedy.

[@pollylewis9611]

Just such a tragedy that just shouldn't have happened, I can't believe how many lies and issues were not reported to the FAA, I feel so sadly for all those left to deal with loss, thank you Hoover for another one!

And all the responsibility lies with Bobby. Frankly, he died a murderer.

[@escapedfromnewyork]

Thanks, Hoover. It’s really troubling that it seems so many pilots will deceive to keep flying, then take risks that they have no business taking, especially when nowhere near 100%. The common denominator in most of your debriefs is that the accident didn’t have to happen. Tragic.

[@kittytrail]

human complacency, overconfidence, hubris and an almost ever present _getthereitism_ combined with power play between a pilot and aircraft owner/management company and/or a client that don't takes a _no go_ for a valid answer are the bane of the GA world but it's more or less the same in other parts of the aviation world too... 😑

[@misha4422]

These debriefs are just like the annual reading in Accidents in North American Mountaineering, from my climbing days. One tried tolearn from the accidents. Usually, if you make one mistake in climbing, you can recover without injury. Pretty much every accident involved more than one mistake. So too with flying.

[@badcompany-w6s]

You convey a lot of information in a short amount of time. I like that. Some other videos I watch just go on and on.

[@crubin64]

Just for informational, from this tragedy Tora Fisher has grown up into a beautiful person and is a talented indie Singer songwriter in NY.

[@elamanvetta1685]

Agree, Tora Fisher is very talented.

[@BostonBuzz]

Ummmmm not relevant. This is an aviation channel.......

@@BostonBuzz DId it hurt you in any way? I would say that YOUR post was quite un-necessary and off-topic.

[@tin2001]

​@@BostonBuzz I'm still in bed and I might get up soon and have breakfast. How's that for irrelevant for you?

[@neb_setabed]

​@@tin2001whatcha planning on eating? I had some cereal earlier

[@bigdaddydaddy3203]

I absolutely love ur channel I’m not a pilot but seeing ur videos and the way u break it all down is awesome thanks for the great content ♥️✌🏼

[@rael5469]

I rode in a Beech 19 into a small airport (with a long runway) a few times and the young pilots liked to make a SH carrier approaches ( I called it). I'm glad to know they were aware of the increased speed needed to make those steep turns.

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

Poor kid's gonna be scarred for life... On the inside and I can only assume on the outside too. That's the kind of thing you don't get over.

[@encinobalboa]

Losing parent(s) when young is tough. She will have support from siblings.

[@m.h.6499]

Losing both parents at thirteen …. Other children, too. We’re a military family; and the Fisher Houses have done so much good. Not sure how I didn’t know this happened. Devastating.

[@amyb7823]

I thought u were wearing a ufo on your t shirt 😂 it took me like a good 6 min in to realize it's your microphone lol

[@localcrew]

I enjoy your clinical approach to air accident analysis.

[@757MrMark]

Maybe Bobby knew he was compromised medically, and single pilot IFR is a workload so he asked Eric to sit Rt seat and "back" him up. Too bad no CVR.

[@pilot-debrief]

Perhaps...if that was his plan then he probably should have let Bobby talk on the radios to coordinate the approach. It's really frustrating that we'll never know what really happened.

[@charles_tamminen]

I remember this crash vividly. At the time, I was living about 30 minutes south of Fitchburg. Such a tragic and needless situation. Thank you for covering this one. Any chance you could review the Fitchburg-based twin that crashed during a training flight, killing the student and chief instructor? I had flown with that chief instructor on one of my training flights, back in mid-1990s. It was heartbreaking to hear of his subsequent loss.

[@heatherbukowski2102]

Yeah, man, I have depression and anxiety and am treated with medication. I think it's totally fair that I stay far, far away from the cockpit.

[@CuriousMouseExploration]

I hate to say it, but I think doctors should be required to report to the licensing board for pilots when a patient has medical conditions that could cause them to crash planes - like certain drugs and diseases that this pilot had. When I'm on narcotics or other meds that make me extremely drowsy or dizzy or I have a massive migraine, I will not drive. I order Uber or Lyft instead. And if I don't feel well, I won't do novel maneuvers either. I've actually had to tell passengers, "Hey, I'm doing 3 rights to make that left cuz that left lane is pretty hinky." Embarrassment is better than crashing. But many people will not self-moderate which is such a huge disregard for others' lives and limbs.

[@ericvadekro8334]

Unbelievable that this guy was flying….. sad

[@captaindunsel2806]

I Blame DEI.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@captaindunsel2806what a weird thing to say.

[@misskitty2133]

OMFG! How morally, ethically reprehensible that pilot was!! I’m familiar with the possible side effects of those medications. This episode was particularly infor me as I live in Massachusetts and am familiar with those regional airports. The Gardner/fitchburg area seems to always have weather, possibly due to the rolling hills in central mass. Great show, thanks sooo much!❤️

[@Lee-mx5li]

Superb job on analysis..

[@griam7641]

Another great debrief Hoover! I think yours are the best. But no, a Kingair 200 does not require a type rating, although insurance companies are getting pretty strict on who they will insure.

[@larryjohn5052]

I stopped flying because I at first noticed I started missing important details when I didn't fly often. Then I just flew alone. Then I didn't feel competent to even fly alone. At 55 I stopped flying as a PIC and flew only when I hired a CFI to fly with me and my passengers. Then I stopped all together. Love flying, but I now only fly rarely and then only with a CFI with me. Don't endanger others or yourself. NEVER.

[@762Super]

Excellent presentation as always, Hoover!

[@bytornsnowdog2112]

Complacency can be very dangerous. In the professional world we call it, "loss of perspective". It happens when things become so routine, you get sloppy and believe you know more than what is truly occurring.

[@riverwildcat1]

Reckless endangerment is a felony. Depraved indifference also is a felony. Other people knew Bobby was a physical wreck, but didn’t report it. Enough said.

[@archer494]

Problem is communication. Only the doctor who knew he was a pilot and told him not to fly would even had a reason to report that. We don't know exactly what happened in that case. And in the rest of the cases it is likely that the doctors who treated him simply didn't know the guy was a pilot. The fact that he lied on his application for the flight medical shows that Bobby worked hard that it didn't get into the open. BTW. Depraved indifference doesn't apply or at least is very hard to prove in this case. It would mean he actively knew he had problems that could likely lead to him crashing. I think it was the exact opposite: he probably thought he could handle it and the medication would keep him working fine - like it probably had done ever since he was diagnosed first. So in essence he knew he was doing something illegal but maybe thought it wasn't important because the rules didn't apply to his particular case as long as he felt he had everything under control.

[@riverwildcat1]

@@archer494 Good point about the doctors, who are required to obey laws that protect patient privacy rights. I would fault others, like his presumed friends. Concealing his terrible health isn’t a blameless act, and works out to be very unfriendly in the long run. Several people in the plane may have had at least a hint that something wasn’t kosher with Bobby.

@@archer494 HIPAA. Doctors cannot notify ANYONE about a patient's condition without that patient's consent (or legal guardian). This includes the FAA even if the doctor knows the guy is a pilot. Now, does HIPAA need to be changed /modified? I think so.

[@azopene]

The more I read these things the more apprehensive I become about flying. All those hours and he stalls the airplane?

[@adjusted-bunny]

Once I made a reckless mistake, too: I sat down onto the toilet seat to take a dump. After the deed I discovered that that paper roll was empty. I just forgot to restock!

[@BeeWhistler]

I didn’t much like the look of him from his photo. “Looks like a smug SOB,” I thought. Never expected him to prove me so right.

[@jacquesparadis6756]

Low and slow doesn’t leave much margin for recovery. Minimum bank turns and touching straight ahead is the most survivable option. Fuel selector valve OFF. Master switch OFF If time permits. Tanks for your reports. An avid listener. Jack CFI.

[@russmowry671]

I was the pilot of the Fisher family’s personal helicopter back in the early eighties. What a wonderful experience flying for such wonderful people. Especially “Uncle Zach”. When this accident happened, l was reminded that at the end of my hiring interview l stated that safety was my primary concern, especially concerning weather. That when the aircraft was on the ground they owned it … that when it was in the air it was mine. I would not be challenged. Tony was the only one who tested me. I always assumed that this accident occurred because Tony pressed the pilot. Not to mention that flying under 135 rules and there is always pressure to take the trip because it generates the revenue for your salary. That being said, l don’t understand how was that flight being conducted under Part 91, not 135.

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

Was the king air a charter aircraft?

[@alisonwilson9749]

In the end, it' a character thing, if a pilot knows he just isn't good at resisting a direct customer's pressure, they need to work in an environment where those pressures are minimised- like in a proper commercial airline, where they are not in contact with passengers, are never the sole pilot, and have company support if they decide not to fly.

[@catherinesarah5831]

Thanks Hoover. Such a tragedy. Your detailed debrief is appreciated. 🙏

[@ilaril]

A friend of mine has owned few planes over the years and when ever he bought one, he installed the cvr and/or fdr if the plane didn't have them. Said that if he goes down, he wants it to make flying safer and his family to know what happened.

[@bigdougscommentary5719]

The most disconcerting aspect of these debriefs is that these aircraft constantly fly over people on the ground.

[@delilahboa]

Hi Hoover, every video you make I’m certain saves mores lives than are lost in every one of your stories ….. thank you for educating many people and pilots….. I hope you’re well xx❤xx

[@eddiehimself]

I saw a video this week about a guy bragging that he's a Gulfstream pilot at 21 and I have the feeling he may end up in one of your videos...

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

Why? Because he is 21? Age has nothing to do with it.

[@eddiehimself]

@@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 the dude made it about age as soon as he titled his video "How I became a Gulfstream pilot at age 21!"

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@eddiehimself right. But you have a feeling he may end up in one of Hoover’s videos. So you believe the guy is too young and might end up doing something reckless. Wait till you find out how young military pilots are.

[@eddiehimself]

@@rtbrtb_dutchy4183 That is a beautiful backpedal. Fun fact: I used to be an aircraft engineer at BAE Systems, a company that designs planes for those military pilots to fly. So it's kind of ironic that you're trying to be condescending towards me, whilst accusing me of being condescending towards a young person. Now that you say it: yes, I think he will end up doing something reckless, probably more. Is that because he's young? No. It's because he feels the need to try and reach these goals of flying passengers in jets as quickly as he can in life. That was my point in the first place. If you treat life like a race, what happens when you need to actually make a decision as a pilot that might cost you time and money, even if it's the safest one?

[@rtbrtb_dutchy4183]

@@eddiehimself I wasn’t backpedaling anything. And no, he won’t be reckless. I know tons of guys in their early 20s who fly jets and are perfectly safe. But you think they are reckless. So it shows your bias. I think the statement you made is ridiculous.

[@rjsledz]

It's very hard to find a runway especially with all the things going down around it it's sometimes the most hardest thing on the planet when you're trying to land a plane and I think that these runways should have more lights and much more GPS involved

[@groomngirl]

I lost my medical in1998 because I wouldn’t lie about my health, it bothered me because the “drug “ I was prescribed was classified as a mood altering drug, it was Paxil and was a minimal dose, but the examiner would not pass me. Oh well, now I’m an airport bum and I am still in aviation.

[@Todayisthebest-ms1qv]

Can you do a video on Troy Gentry’s unfortunate crash?

[@wassermutt7805]

At the time of this accident, I worked down the road from KFIT. That plane flew over my office during its ill-fated turn. I can still remember hearing the engines and thinking that plane is pretty low, then a muffled poof as it hit the building about 2-300 yards toward the airport. One of my co-workers was one of the first on the scene and saw the girl coming out of the building, grabbed her and took her to safety. I'm a private pilot now and found this episode fascinating because I never really knew what happened there. I will say though that maybe the pilot had identified their mistake albeit too late because my memory says those engines sounds as if they were loaded up. But I don't have much experience with such a craft to note truly the engine sounds of a king air. That airport can be a little tricky though because it kind of sits in a bowl. I remember the weather that day and if you had 800ft over the runway, you didn't have 800ft over the surrounding terrain. So really, you would have to stay pretty low and drop into that airport coming around from that far out to stay visual. Thanks for all the work you do. You have one of the best channels with great explanations, love watching your reviews and summations of the incidents.

[@ihmcallister]

Consider taking a look at the 1992 Beech 18 crash involving N342E of Scenic Air Tours in Hawaii. It involves an unqualified pilot! My wife and I had flown with him in the same aircraft not long before.

[@RNP69]

So sad !!!!!! I feel bad for that little girl at the time !

[@calyodelphi124]

We live in a society in which losing your job is tantamount to losing your ability to even _live_ because even the most basic necessities of housing and food are inexorably gatekept behind the requirement of a stable source of income. Time and time again whenever I hear of a pilot who lies about their medical condition, what I see is a pilot who does not want to lose their job or their way of life so that they can keep paying the bills. There is no safety net for the overwhelming majority of people in this world, and I think if something like that existed then the pilot would likely have been less motivated to lie about his medical condition to the FAA and would have been more willing to take the loss of his privilege to be a pilot with more grace so he could take the time he needed to heal.

[@dudeonbike800]

This is absolutely on point. And ever so much today. The homeless camps are proof of this. Homelessness is the result of being abandoned economically by rapacious capitalism and the myth of a meritocracy. Cruel capitalism for the many.

[@Shadofx]

​@dudeonbike800 there's lots of reasons for homelessness.

[@theoneonly259]

If the guys daughter sees this video I hope she reads your comment. This is beyond terrible. This channel. Its utterly disgusting.

[@dudeonbike800]

@@Shadofx and what would those be? 1) Drug addiction? 2) Joblessness? 3) Mental illness? 4) High rents? 5) Criminal record? 6) High housing costs? 7) Don't know the value of hard work? (There are LOTs more, but just lisitng a few.) Let me guess, you believe these are the CAUSES of homelessness, right? Well you're wrong. This list, and all the other causes, are SYMPTOMS of a larger problem. That larger problem is the destruction of American prosperity. "Saint" Reagan promised 'prosperity' in 1980 and Americans fell for his lies. What we've learned is that "trickle-down" was a hoax. A thinly-veiled scheme to enrich the VERY few at the expense of ALMOST EVERYONE! Read Nicholas Kristoph's "Tightrope" to get an intimate, detailed view into the destruction of the American worker and family. If you're truly honest, you'll accept the fact that rapacious, unchecked capitalism is the cause. We've totally screwed Americans who want to put in an honest, hard-day's work. We've told Americans hard work is for suckers. High housing prices? Nope, LACK OF MONEY AND FINANCIAL SECURITY is the cause. Dump opioids on a financially stressed population and "SURPRISE!" you have opiate drug addiction explosion. Keep voting right if you want it to get worse.

[@Anon54387]

@@dudeonbike800 We haven't been capitalistic for many decades. Also, homelessness in my state is ticking up specifically because of a lack of capitalism, taxes and regulation are driving businesses to other states. As this is (A) a warm climate and (B) we throw taxpayer money at the problem people stay here and be homeless. Try to start a business, take note of all the barriers to entry into the market place while you are at it. How is that in anyway free market capitalism?

[@UncleJoeLITE]

Thanks Hoover, I appreciate your analysis very much. One advantage of being poor - I won't die in a private jet. =)

[@rickdc3]

LOL. So you'll die in a car, which (statistically) is far more likely.

[@kevinmoffatt]

Trouble is, we are all under them.

[@lawwdogg1digr]

Bobby wasn’t just a hazard to himself and his passengers but everyone, in the air or on the ground, in his flight paths.

[@thomasminer7154]

Excellent summary sir, well done.

[@Alexander-me7xh]

Another great video. Do you have any plans to cover the Keith Green plane crash or John Denver crash?

[@WayneM1961]

Oh man, how horrific and that poor girl, she could have nightmares about this for the rest of her life. With the cocktail of drugs he was taking and his many medical conditions should this gentleman of been in charge of a bicycle let alone piloting an aircraft. Not declaring his condition to the FAA was the ultimate in selfish recklessness. Great debrief, it is to be hoped that any pilot out there reading this and thinking about not declaring a medical condition that might effect their ability to fly will think twice about it and do the decent thing.

[@ConfusedPufferFish-fq4ji]

I just subscribed to your channel. I've watched about 6 episodes so far. You do a good job.

[@sofia7374]

I think what is so scary is that of course, everyone involved (including the child) probably felt very safe trusting Bobby and Eric as they both had so many years and flight hours of experience. This is not the case of an inexperienced pilot not knowing what they were doing! Putting your complete trust AND LIFE in someone else’s hands and them being so completely reckless is so awful.

[@nathangreve2453]

Great video! FYI, the King Air 200 is under 12,500lbs. So it does not require a type rating. The B-300/350-360 does. Hope this helps!

[@richardcatalinajr.369]

I think I've watched all of Hoover's videos. There are mistakes (or series of mistakes) and then there is recklessness (undertaking unacceptable risk). This is in the second category.

[@campdunivan7921]

I want to say thank you for all your videos. I have my flight school scheduled to start next summer after i get some personal things in my life taken care of. I'm finding your content helpful as to things to look out for and things not to do. I want to be as safe as possible while I am in the sky especially once I can get my wife up there with me and we can travel a little easier. The lst thing I want is to have an incident. So thank you again. God Bless and SEMPER FI

[@rickhewitt852]

I haven't read through all the comments yet, but isn't there a position of responsibility on the shoulders of the doctors to report such blatant impairment of a pilot in the first place?

[@gtr1952]

Wow, that is just crazy. Makes one wonder who ever let him get behind the controls of a KA w/passengers in the first place?! Also IMHO the KA can be a real hand full, right on the edge of "single pilot"! I think I remember the next one your going to talk about also. That one is another example if I remember right. Very sad. --gary

[@gerryholland7274]

Just called it a day flying after 50+ years. My Human Performance as per CAA requirement just didn't measure up. Life moves on and especially as you age! This is all very sad in this crash!

[@CharlieTuna86]

Hey Hoover any chance you will do a video or series on how to fly? Even just the basics in Microsoft simulator or something but you're so smart we want you to share every bit of knowledge you have. Thanks brother

[@canlib]

Scary and terrifying.The horror.

[@stephenbritton9297]

As a paramedic, I see a lot of people think they don't have a problem anymore because they take a medicine for it. For example, a patient has high blood pressure, but is on Metoprolol and the medication is effective in controlling their BP to a normal level. If asked if they have high blood pressure, many will say "No." But it seems the FAA medical form avoids this pit fall by specifically asking if you are taking a medication for X, Y or Z.

[@pittmanfh]

You have a great channel. No BS, just the facts. You'll hit a million subs soon.

[@michaelfarranto-wg6zw]

HOOVER I'M NOT A AVIATOR BUT I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE PILOTS. I HAVE WATCHED SEVERAL OTHER UTUBE CHANNELS THAT AVIATION IS THE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION! YOU ARE UNPARALLELED IN TERMS OF KEEPING YOUR EXPLANATION EASY FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND. FINALLY SIR, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO GOD AND COUNTRY AS A FIGHTER PILOT! YOU PROBABLY HAD THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE DOING WHAT YOU LOVE DOIN' AND GETTING PAID FOR SERVING US THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE SIR THE FEELING THE FIGHTER PILOTS AS THEY GO FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF SOUND. IT HAD TOO BE SOME KINDA' RUSH. NOW I'M GONNA' GO BACK WATCHING "PILOT DEBRIEF"! THANKS SO MUCH SIR FOR YOUR EFFORTS ON YOUR FANS BEHALF OF WHICH I AM ONE! GID BLESS YOU AND YOURS TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE AND STAY STRONG IN THE FAITH AND IN THE FAITHFUL! ✌️ PEACE THAT SURPASSES UNDERSTANDING I PRAY FOR YOU AND YOURS! BYE FOR NOW SIR AND KEEP UP THE FANTASTIC JOB OF INFORMING FOLKS LIKE ME WHO ARE NOT AVIATORS! SUBURB UNPARALLELED UTUBE CHANNEL THANKS AGAIN SIR! MICHAEL FORMER UNITED STATES ARMY 🪖☮️🇺🇲 MILITARY POLICE OFFICER WHO SIMPLY PUT SOUGHT JUSTICE NOT INJUSTICE NO MATTER RACE COLOR OR CREED! RIGHT 👍 ON! RIGHT 👍 ON! FLY SAFE SIR! ❤🎉😊

[@MsDemonBunny]

A great follow up to this video is "Resilience through music: Tora Fisher Ted's Talk

[@BayernLean]

I once saw a pilot that refused admission to the hospital because they were worried about getting their license taken away. Do most pilot disability insurance cover this? Us docs usually have own occupation, own specialty disability.

[@symcardnel1741]

Published April 5, 2003, 5:00 a.m. ET The daughter of one of New York’s wealthiest real estate heirs miraculously walked away from a fiery plane crash that killed her parents and four others yesterday morning in Massachusetts.

[@rainscratch]

Love all your videos. Please improve the technical quality by installing a sound compression/limiter into the microphone line. Your sound peaks very badly and by using a compressor it will even out the volume.