Reagan National (DCA) Midair Collision Probable Cause + Greg Biffle Citation 550 Preliminary Report

Max talks with co-host Rob Mark about two headline-making NTSB threads: the DCA midair collision and the preliminary report on the Greg Biffle crash. First, they react to the NTSB’s day-long public hearing on the DCA midair and the board’s newly adopted probable-cause statement—an unusually long, multi-factor finding that points toward fixes in airspace design, controller procedures, ADS-B policy, and military aviation governance.

Then they pivot to the Cessna Citation 550 accident involving NASCAR driver Greg Biffle (N257BW) near Statesville, North Carolina. The preliminary report raises hard questions about cockpit workload and decision-making: instrument anomalies, an apparent electrical/power issue, and a “second in command required” limitation that wasn’t satisfied by the right-seat occupant.

The episode also rounds up several other investigations: a Cirrus SR20 CAPS deployment in England where the parachute lines may have separated after snagging power lines, a Cirrus SR22 engine-failure diversion in South Carolina, an IFR Bonanza crash in rain near Sabine, Texas, a Mexican Navy King Air 350i accident near Galveston, and final reports covering a training stall/spin in Georgia and a Musketeer engine failure after an undetected oil-system leak. If you care about real-world lessons—and what the NTSB is signaling for the next wave of safety changes—hit play and share it with another pilot.

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