What Happened
Safety Board Warns Of Unprepared Pilots In Post-Maintenance Test Flights
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a safety investigation report highlighting serious gaps in pilot training and manufacturer guidance for stall test flights following maintenance actions on certain Hawker business jets. Two fatal crashes in 2024 and 2025 led to the investigation, which found that line pilots may be unprepared for the extreme aircraft behavior that can occur during these tests. The NTSB has issued urgent safety recommendations to Textron Aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Business Aviation Association, calling for improved pilot qualification criteria, standardized stall test plans, and clearer recovery procedures. The report was released by AeroTime.