Fear of Landing
The Art of Not Hitting the Ground Too Hard
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A Preventable Collision on Runway 4
On the 22nd of March 2026, a landing jet struck a fire truck that a controller had cleared onto the active runway at LaGuardia Airport in New York, the first fatal accident at LaGuardia in 34 years. Somewhat bizarrely, the previous accident, when USAir flight 405 crashed on take-off after ice buildup on the wings, occurred… -
The Man in the Right Seat at Prestwick
On the 23rd of April 2024, a Piper Archer II crashed in South Ayrshire, Scotland, after losing power. There were two on board. Both suffered serious injuries and the light aircraft, a 48-year old PA-28 registered in the UK as G-BVNS, will never fly again. The AAIB report makes a clear case for carburettor icing… -
Fear of Landing Turns Twenty
It’s a curious thing to realize you’ve been doing something for decades without ever quite intending to. Last month, I realised that I created Fear of Landing exactly twenty years ago. The original hook was a crazy dream: fly into every British island with a strip. The kind of plan usually reserved for people who… -
Hot Air Balloon Rescue in Texas
On the morning of Saturday the 28th of February 2026, a brightly coloured hot air balloon launched near Longview, Texas. There were two onboard. I’ve not seen anything that mentions the weather. It would be very interesting to know more about what the wind was that morning. So far, the only data I’ve seen is… -
Lasers, Laptops & Live Rounds: Aviation’s Wild Start to 2026
I couldn’t pick just one incident. American Airlines 737 plane found with apparent bullet hole after flight from Miami to Colombia Ground crew at Jose María Córdova International Airport in Medellín, Colombia discovered puncture damage consistent with a bullet strike in the right aileron of an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered in the…