Youtuber Fatal Crash

[AirmetTango]

Ok, I watched a couple of the videos.

It feels like the confluence of too many non-operational distractions, versus poor flight instruction, versus the complexity of the aircraft.

The CFI is playing with his telephone, the pilot has very student-pilot level control of the aircraft, misunderstood technology in the aircraft, poor systems knowledge (why the crap is she even messing with the autopilot?) PLUS trying to be an amateur film producer all at the same time.

Exactly this. I generally don’t watch YouTube videos, especially this type of content, but since I’ve flown into DKX a few times recently and actually encountered this pilot, my interest was piqued when I heard about the accident. Over the past couple days, I’ve watched many of the videos posted to the woman’s channel - I won’t say anything about the accident itself or the woman and her father other than rest in peace, and condolences to their surviving friends and family.

The flight instructor who appears in the majority of her videos, on the other hand, is open game. In my opinion, his ethics are non-existent, his quality of instruction is appallingly negligent, and he did this woman a massive disservice during her “training” that literally borders on criminal. Virtually every posted video contains blatantly negligent and/or inexcusable situationally unaware actions on the part of the instructor. Here, they are almost 1000’ too low on an instrument approach procedure into GSP. The instructor’s reaction makes it abundantly clear he was equally as clueless as the poor woman that they were that low:

In this one, the woman pilot consistently wanders off course, and it keeps getting a query from an increasingly frustrated controller, yet this tool of an instructor goes right back to fiddling with his cell phone. You would think by the fourth time the controller says something, he would start to pay a little closer attention, and correct her more proactively so the controller doesn’t have to keep doing his job for him, at least out of self-preservation to avoid a violation if not out of basic professionalism:

These are just two of the many examples of this instructor’s complete incompetence scattered throughout every single one of these videos. In my opinion, the instructor was grossly careless and negligent throughout this woman’s training, and was likely milking her for hours to move on to “bigger things”. I won’t name names publicly, but I have learned who this instructor is. According to his LinkedIn account, he was hired by a regional airline (which I also won’t name publicly) in August 2023, which roughly corresponds to when the YouTuber “moved on from her instructor”.

So this unfortunate YouTuber and student pilot has tragically crashed, and it cost her life and took her father with her. Her tool instructor is now flying right seat somewhere with a few dozen passengers behind him, fiddling with his phone and probably meowing on guard.

Apologies for the rant.

 

[Inverted]

Trying to get the aircraft to climb, with the power back, untrimmed and it stalls ON AUTOPILOT with the casual indifference of "oh it stalled"... What?!

That is something that I would allow a student to do as a CFI, and my reaction to it would be "yea it stalled" after the student would settle down after an ensuing panic attack. That comment from her is so telling in so many ways. It either shows that her CFI always added power for her, or it stalled so many times that she is desensitized to stalling an airplane. There are so many micro LOC and undesired aircraft state events in her flying, and not just when she is getting dual either, the videos where she is PIC and her father is in the right seat.

A Bo or Debbie is a lot of airplane for a new pilot but she had like 400 hours. That isn't a new pilot IMHO. It shows how much she has been carried though her aviation career....

 

[Murdoughnut]

Exactly this. I generally don’t watch YouTube videos, especially this type of content, but since I’ve flown into DKX a few times recently and actually encountered this pilot, my interest was piqued when I heard about the accident. Over the past couple days, I’ve watched many of the videos posted to the woman’s channel - I won’t say anything about the accident itself or the woman and her father other than rest in peace, and condolences to their surviving friends and family.

The flight instructor who appears in the majority of her videos, on the other hand, is open game. In my opinion, his ethics are non-existent, his quality of instruction is appallingly negligent, and he did this woman a massive disservice during her “training” that literally borders on criminal. Virtually every posted video contains blatantly negligent and/or inexcusable situationally unaware actions on the part of the instructor. Here, they are almost 1000’ too low on an instrument approach procedure into GSP. The instructor’s reaction makes it abundantly clear he was equally as clueless as the poor woman that they were that low:

In this one, the woman pilot consistently wanders off course, and it keeps getting a query from an increasingly frustrated controller, yet this tool of an instructor goes right back to fiddling with his cell phone. You would think by the fourth time the controller says something, he would start to pay a little closer attention, and correct her more proactively so the controller doesn’t have to keep doing his job for him, at least out of self-preservation to avoid a violation if not out of basic professionalism:

These are just two of the many examples of this instructor’s complete incompetence scattered throughout every single one of these videos. In my opinion, the instructor was grossly careless and negligent throughout this woman’s training, and was likely milking her for hours to move on to “bigger things”. I won’t name names publicly, but I have learned who this instructor is. According to his LinkedIn account, he was hired by a regional airline (which I also won’t name publicly) in August 2023, which roughly corresponds to when the YouTuber “moved on from her instructor”.

So this unfortunate YouTuber and student pilot has tragically crashed, and it cost her life and took her father with her. Her tool instructor is now flying right seat somewhere with a few dozen passengers behind him, fiddling with his phone and probably meowing on guard.

Apologies for the rant.

In addition to everything you listed, I found it inappropriate for him to handle her comms for her. I feel like if you're preparing someone for single pilot IFR, they need to be handling their own comms as that's one of the most complex variables (and distractions) you encounter when you're in actual by yourself.

Edit - found a comment on one of the videos where someone asked about this. Her response was:

I’m doing more radio calls now. I previously had little training talking to atc so it helps my training by taking some load off. I’m improving my atc communication now. And yes thank God for newer Avionics!!

 

[DE727UPS]

One thing that makes me cringe with a CFI/pilots making these selfie videos is it documents, forever, stupid pilot stuff they do. It would be great to see these irresponsible CFI's investigated and "re-examined" by the Feds. By allowing and encouraging this filming the CFI makes is so easy for the world to see what a poor instructor he is.

 

[N826AW]

There’s a lot of bad instruction in the CFII side of things. I’ve witnessed a lack of ground instruction combined with rush to get instrument students into the airplane to practice approaches [read rack up Hobbs for the CFI].

 

[Richman]

My opinion of Youscrewed:

"The main thing about money, Bud, is that it makes you do things you don't want to do".

- Lou Mannheim

 

[FlyingAccountant]

That is something that I would allow a student to do as a CFI, and my reaction to it would be "yea it stalled" after the student would settle down after an ensuing panic attack. That comment from her is so telling in so many ways. It either shows that her CFI always added power for her, or it stalled so many times that she is desensitized to stalling an airplane.

A Bo or Debbie is a lot of airplane for a new pilot but she had like 400 hours. That isn't a new pilot IMHO. It shows how much she has been carried though her aviation career....

The one common theme I noticed is she always has a “co-pilot” with her whether that was the CFI or her non-certificated father to share the workload with.

There just seems to be a ton of normalization of deviance here. You almost wish someone had sat her down and had a coming to jesus with her, especially as it pertains to the performance of that Debonair relative to her skill-set.

She doesn’t seem like that typical arrogant, know-it-all type either. I think she would have been receptive had someone shot it straight with her.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

As long as we keep clicking Jerry's videos, or Blanco or even Daily Mail (which still sucks), they're going to keep producing content.

I'm doing my best to cut their oxygen off.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Ok, I watched a couple of the videos.

With apologies for your wasted time, but here's a palate cleanser—I'll watch these guys drive their 340 around any day, an exception to "I hate aviation YouTube:"

 

[roundout]

Thanks to Al Gore inventing the internet which gave birth to Reddit where anyone can be a pornstar and you guys are watching old men in their pajamas discussing aviation accidents while their wife is out banging the neighbor. That's the real tragedy.

We recommend not taking shrooms these days

 

[Maurus]

So this unfortunate YouTuber and student pilot has tragically crashed, and it cost her life and took her father with her. Her tool instructor is now flying right seat somewhere with a few dozen passengers behind him, fiddling with his phone and probably meowing on guard.

I highly doubt it will be so simple for this guy. He is in her logbook and he will be investigated by the FAA. All part of the risk of being a CFI and the reason I documented everything I did with a student in my logbook as well as the student's logbook.

This CFI of course has actual lessons documented on her Youtube page and you know that the FAA will be watching them all.

 

[schloopy]

Not sure why red-haired SWA lady is being thrown into this conversation, considering those are professional marketing videos produced by the airline. Big Ern is doing the exact same thing and its been an incredible boost to his career, and yet he’s not catching any strays here…I wonder why that could be….

 

[Inverted]

The CFI should have his certs pulled. I could honestly see the argument for criminal charges too…

I don’t think CFIs realize how much responsibility they carry. If I saw myself on camera behave like he did on these videos, I’d be mortified. The kid is just there to collect some money and log hours, it’s evident that he would rather practice some pseudo crew environment than actually do his job.

 

[touch-n-go]

Exactly this. I generally don’t watch YouTube videos, especially this type of content, but since I’ve flown into DKX a few times recently and actually encountered this pilot, my interest was piqued when I heard about the accident. Over the past couple days, I’ve watched many of the videos posted to the woman’s channel - I won’t say anything about the accident itself or the woman and her father other than rest in peace, and condolences to their surviving friends and family.

The flight instructor who appears in the majority of her videos, on the other hand, is open game. In my opinion, his ethics are non-existent, his quality of instruction is appallingly negligent, and he did this woman a massive disservice during her “training” that literally borders on criminal. Virtually every posted video contains blatantly negligent and/or inexcusable situationally unaware actions on the part of the instructor. Here, they are almost 1000’ too low on an instrument approach procedure into GSP. The instructor’s reaction makes it abundantly clear he was equally as clueless as the poor woman that they were that low:

In this one, the woman pilot consistently wanders off course, and it keeps getting a query from an increasingly frustrated controller, yet this tool of an instructor goes right back to fiddling with his cell phone. You would think by the fourth time the controller says something, he would start to pay a little closer attention, and correct her more proactively so the controller doesn’t have to keep doing his job for him, at least out of self-preservation to avoid a violation if not out of basic professionalism:

These are just two of the many examples of this instructor’s complete incompetence scattered throughout every single one of these videos. In my opinion, the instructor was grossly careless and negligent throughout this woman’s training, and was likely milking her for hours to move on to “bigger things”. I won’t name names publicly, but I have learned who this instructor is. According to his LinkedIn account, he was hired by a regional airline (which I also won’t name publicly) in August 2023, which roughly corresponds to when the YouTuber “moved on from her instructor”.

So this unfortunate YouTuber and student pilot has tragically crashed, and it cost her life and took her father with her. Her tool instructor is now flying right seat somewhere with a few dozen passengers behind him, fiddling with his phone and probably meowing on guard.

Apologies for the rant.

Yip. Also, with the student under the hood the CFI is also supposed to be a safety pilot, which means he is supposed to also be looking out the window for traffic and not heads down playing with his phone....not good.

 

[FlyingAccountant]

I highly doubt it will be so simple for this guy. He is in her logbook and he will be investigated by the FAA. All part of the risk of being a CFI and the reason I documented everything I did with a student in my logbook as well as the student's logbook.

This CFI of course has actual lessons documented on her Youtube page and you know that the FAA will be watching them all.

This might be unpopular, but...

From a purely CYOA perspective, this is why you shouldn't allow your students to record their lessons if they just want it for clicks on their Youtube channel.

 

[Richman]

The only good thing on YouBoob: The strut of a very classy Hunchback

View: https://youtu.be/ndvFVmhMSz8?si=WJdDxhtergrhczeL

 

[mwflyer]

Exactly this. I generally don’t watch YouTube videos, especially this type of content, but since I’ve flown into DKX a few times recently and actually encountered this pilot, my interest was piqued when I heard about the accident. Over the past couple days, I’ve watched many of the videos posted to the woman’s channel - I won’t say anything about the accident itself or the woman and her father other than rest in peace, and condolences to their surviving friends and family.

The flight instructor who appears in the majority of her videos, on the other hand, is open game. In my opinion, his ethics are non-existent, his quality of instruction is appallingly negligent, and he did this woman a massive disservice during her “training” that literally borders on criminal. Virtually every posted video contains blatantly negligent and/or inexcusable situationally unaware actions on the part of the instructor. Here, they are almost 1000’ too low on an instrument approach procedure into GSP. The instructor’s reaction makes it abundantly clear he was equally as clueless as the poor woman that they were that low:

In this one, the woman pilot consistently wanders off course, and it keeps getting a query from an increasingly frustrated controller, yet this tool of an instructor goes right back to fiddling with his cell phone. You would think by the fourth time the controller says something, he would start to pay a little closer attention, and correct her more proactively so the controller doesn’t have to keep doing his job for him, at least out of self-preservation to avoid a violation if not out of basic professionalism:

These are just two of the many examples of this instructor’s complete incompetence scattered throughout every single one of these videos. In my opinion, the instructor was grossly careless and negligent throughout this woman’s training, and was likely milking her for hours to move on to “bigger things”. I won’t name names publicly, but I have learned who this instructor is. According to his LinkedIn account, he was hired by a regional airline (which I also won’t name publicly) in August 2023, which roughly corresponds to when the YouTuber “moved on from her instructor”.

So this unfortunate YouTuber and student pilot has tragically crashed, and it cost her life and took her father with her. Her tool instructor is now flying right seat somewhere with a few dozen passengers behind him, fiddling with his phone and probably meowing on guard.

Apologies for the rant.

This is baffling. As a student, I would have been embarrassed to post that. As a CFI, I would have forbidden it.

he didn’t seem bothered by it in the slightest. I can’t think of a single instructor I flew with that wouldn’t have been up my ass long before 1000’ off of altitude.

 

[Sculprit]

The British guy at your shop is one of the maybe two influencers that doesn't make me cringe, seems like he just enjoys his job.

My gf got to fly with him the other week, I was a bit jealous if I am being honest.

 

[JordanD]

Not sure why red-haired SWA lady is being thrown into this conversation, considering those are professional marketing videos produced by the airline. Big Ern is doing the exact same thing and its been an incredible boost to his career, and yet he’s not catching any strays here…I wonder why that could be….

I see what you're driving at but I'll give it from my perspective. Her videos give me a very "appealing to Gen Zer's" vibe that I find a little annoying/off putting. Maybe a little obscure but it's the reason I can't stand a lot of mainstream YouTube chefs who make their videos in that style. I can accept that maybe I'm not the target audience, but her videos give me an impression of "trying just a little bit too hard to be funny", whereas Big Ern seems a little more matter of fact "here's what my day to day looks like." Most of the jokes that she makes are the same overplayed jokes everyone in the industry has heard so I think that's why airline pilots tend to roll their eyes at her videos a little bit more. But again, like I said, I can accept that I'm obviously not in the target audience for her videos so I don't get too worked up about it. I think people lose sight of that when they get mad about these kinds of videos because let's be honest, when I was a 14 year old student pilot I'd have probably eaten this stuff up. As long as they aren't outwardly unprofessional I don't really think it's a bad thing people are making content that gets people excited about or interested in what we do.

 

[SteveC]

I highly doubt it will be so simple for this guy. He is in her logbook and he will be investigated by the FAA. All part of the risk of being a CFI and the reason I documented everything I did with a student in my logbook as well as the student's logbook.

This CFI of course has actual lessons documented on her Youtube page and you know that the FAA will be watching them all.

I’d be surprised if that happens.