I first wrote about the crash of the Gulfstream IV that took the lives of seven people (among them David Katz, owner of the Philadelphia Inquirer) in August last year. The NTSB had issued a very preliminary report that raised questions about whether the crew had performed a routine pre-takeoff check of the flight controls and whether the failure to perform that routine check could have led to the accident. At the time, it was too early to reach any conclusions about what the crew had or had not done. But it led me to consider the implications of a possible lackadaisical attitude toward checklists and the dangers that poses to aviation safety, and I wrote about guarding against a culture of complacency.
On May 31, 2014, at about 9:40 p.m., the GIV crashed after a rejected takeoff at Hanscom Field (KBED) in Bedford, Mass. The aircraft was unable to stop and overran the runway, hitting approach lights and a localizer antenna, finally stopping in a ravine outside the airport perimeter fence. The post-impact fire killed all seven people on board: the two pilots, a flight attendant and four passengers. The aircraft was operated as a corporate flight under Part 91 and was returning to Atlantic City.
With more than 40 years experience in the aviation industry, The Honorable John Goglia, was the first and only Airframe and Powerplant mechanic to receive a presidential appointment to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). He served from August 1995 to June 2004.
As a Board Member, Mr. Goglia distinguished himself in numerous areas of transportation safety. In particular, he was instrumental in raising awareness of airport safety issues, including the importance of airport crash fire and rescue operations and the dangers of wildlife at airports. He played a key role in focusing international attention on the increasing significance of aircraft maintenance in aviation accidents. He pressed, successfully, for greater integration of civilian and military safety information, becoming a featured speaker at national aviation symposiums attended by military leaders and major defense contractors. He is a leading proponent of airplane child safety seats.
Prior to becoming a Board Member, Mr. Goglia held numerous positions in the airline industry. He started as a mechanic for United Airlines and eventually joined Allegheny, which became USAir. Additionally, he was involved for more than 20 years as a union flight safety representative on accident investigation teams. There, he developed a safety program for his union, the International Association of Machinists, and was its representative for NTSB investigations. For twelve years, he operated his own aircraft service company.
Numerous prestigious groups have recognized Mr. Goglia’s contributions to aviation safety. Aviation Week & Space Technology awarded him a coveted 2004 Laurel for his outstanding service as an NTSB Board member. The Society of Automotive Engineers presented him with the Aerospace Chair Award for outstanding leadership in 2003 and the Marvin Whitlock Award for outstanding management accomplishment in 2002.
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