Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Pilot inattention while flying in a mountainous region was cited by the NTSB as the cause of a North Carolina medevac helicopter crash on March 9. The 2012 Airbus EC135 P2+ was being operated by Med-Trans as Life Force 6 for Erlanger Health System and transporting a patient from Murphy&nbsp;to Asheville. The patient and two-person medical crew sustained minor injuries related to the accident.&nbsp;The 51-year-old pilot was uninjured but has subsequently been terminated by Med-Trans.&nbsp;
According to the NTSB, the pilot noted that the highest obstacle en route was at 6,100 feet, but set the autopilot to 5,500 feet. He then donned the night vision goggles that were on top of the&nbsp;aircraft logbook that was&nbsp;on the co-pilot seat. While moving&nbsp;the logbook, he decided to check flight times in it against maintenance requirements. During this time he noticed the cloud ceiling lowering, reset the autopilot to 5,000 feet, and again went “heads down” into the logbook. The pilot looked up and saw he was headed for trees and initiated a climb, but the tailboom struck trees and the vertical stabilizer separated. He subsequently performed a forced landing on a road, substantially damaging the helicopter.&nbsp;
The NTSB found the cause of the accident to be, “The pilot’s improper decision to review an aircraft logbook while en route, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.”&nbsp;

News about significant aircraft accidents and information from accident reports.

NTSB: Pilot Inattention Caused Medevac Crash

The NTSB finds controlled flight into terrain accident caused by pilot reading log book while flying in mountains.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Amy Wilder

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

Teen Driver Breaches Fence, Hits PlaneSense PC-12 at KPSM

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair 

David Jack Kenny

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

More In Accidents

NTSB: Pax Safely Lands King Air after Pilot Collapsed

Pilot died of cardiac arrest during the flight

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Vehicle also struck parked ground-support tractor; there were no injuries

NBAA Report Flags Powerplant, Collision Risks in Q2 Data

Six fatal accidents resulted in 22 fatalities in the quarter

Remembering a Solemn Anniversary: the Amazon Midair

Twenty years ago, a business jet and commerical airliner collided; the smaller airplane survived

Business Aircraft Accident Reports: September 2026

Preliminary and final accident reports, September 2026

NTSB Cites Heliport Misidentification in Aug. 2025 Crash

Captain opted out of instrument approach over autopilot concerns

Fire of Unknown Origin Led to 2024 Citation X Accident

NTSB: Ignition source could not be conclusively identified

NTSB: Bell 206L Damage Caused by Aeroelastic Interaction

Helicopter experienced a vertical hop for which the pilot didn’t know the recovery procedure

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