Our mission is to improve public safety by closely monitoring the aviation industry and the government agencies responsible for regulating the industry.
Joined December 2024
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Since 2023, more than 4,300 general aviation accident records have been documented across the United States, including 2026 year-to-date.
From 2023 through 2025 alone, general aviation accidents claimed 873 lives.
At the Foundation for Aviation Safety, we believe that identifying safety risks is only the beginning. Addressing them through transparency, independent oversight, and meaningful corrective action is how we help protect lives.
Because every life matters. And every preventable accident is one too many.
During our 2026 Annual Fund Drive, your contribution helps sustain this important work, and safeguard the future of aviation for you and your loved ones.
Visit foundationforaviationsafety.… to learn more and support our mission today.
Source: Pilot Debrief, U.S. General Aviation Safety Database (NTSB-derived records, 2023–2026 YTD). Accessed November 6, 2026. Preliminary data; fatalities reflect 2023–2025.
app.pilotdebrief.com/databas…
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#DAF Giving Day is today, October 8th.
If you have a donor-advised fund, consider donating to The Foundation for Aviation Safety (FAS) (EIN 93-4871663). You can also give appreciated stock straight from your brokerage account, which may be tax deductible and can help you avoid capital gains tax.
Your gift supports:
- Monitoring the aviation industry
- Highlighting aviation safety issues
- Incident & Accident analysis
- Toxic cabin fume research
- STANDARDS documentary series
- Warning Bells Podcast
- Aviation Watchdog Report newsletter
- University relationships and intern training
- Staff and daily operations
- Whistleblower assistance
FAS is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and proud recipient of Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency—the highest recognition for nonprofit accountability and transparency. We accept no funding from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, or engine makers.
foundationforaviationsafety.…
#DAFDay #AviationSafety #DonorAdvisedFund
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When 260 people died aboard Air India Flight 171 and on the ground, the world was given a simple explanation—but what if it’s not only wrong, but a deliberate effort to deflect the truth?
In this two-part episode, Ed and Joe are joined by relentless investigative journalist Rachel Chitra, who has uncovered gaps, omissions, and uncomfortable questions buried deep within the official probe.
Meanwhile, electrical engineer Jeremy John Thompson lays out a chilling scenario of cascading electrical failures that could have crippled the aircraft in seconds.
Together, their findings point to at least two other credible explanations that challenge the narrative the public has been told. If they’re right, the real story of Air India 171 isn’t about the pilots—it’s about the plane and the international cover-up.
Warning Bells Episode 32 is now available to listen on Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
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A recent analysis of the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports indicated there were a total of 501 fume events reported in the first three months of 2026.
These reports cover only a three-month period, only U.S. carriers, and only the events the airlines were aware of and were willing to report. The actual number of events is likely much higher.
A fume event is usually characterized by an odor reported by flight crew. It is often described as a “dirty sock smell.” Even though dirty socks may smell pretty foul, these odors are far more serious. Exposures to these chemicals can cause acute symptoms requiring immediate medical attention.
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Most passengers assume the plane they're boarding meets every current safety regulation - but it isn't required to.
Boeing told the FAA the #737MAX doesn't meet certain regulations, the FAA allowed it to keep flying, and the public was never informed.
Javier de Luis is an MIT aerospace engineer and the brother of Graziella de Luis, who perished on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. He's one of the family members and industry experts featured in Standards, The Foundation for Aviation Safety's new documentary investigating the certification failures, manufacturing defects, and government oversight failures behind 346 deaths on two Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, and asking why 47 defects on the 737 MAX remain unresolved today.
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The public has been told the Boeing 737 MAX is the most comprehensively scrutinized commercial airplane ever, yet another electrical defect was announced in February that can cause excessive cabin and flight deck temperatures, which could result in injury or incapacitation of the flight crew and passengers.
FAA Airworthiness Directive ⬇️
regulations.gov/document/FAA…
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Captain Dennis Tajer has been flying for 36 years. He knows exactly what it means when a family drops someone off at the airport, and exactly who is responsible when the systems designed to protect them fail to do their job.
Captain Tajer is a 30-year American Airlines 737 captain and spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, representing 15,000 pilots. He is one of the voices at the center of STANDARDS, our full-length documentary now available on YouTube.
youtube.com/watch?v=mZg_U9E0…
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The Foundation for Aviation Safety is tracking more than 60 design and manufacturing defects on the Boeing 737 MAX and 787 models — documented through official FAA airworthiness directives, NTSB reports, and Boeing's own filings.
Several of these defects have no confirmed fix date. Others have no plan for a fix at all.
You can find the full defect lists here ⬇️
Boeing 737 MAX Design and Manufacturing Defects
foundationforaviationsafety.…
Prior to the 2026 DCA crash, U.S. airlines experienced an unprecedented 17 years without a fatal accident. That is an outstanding safety record; however, it is exactly the scenario that would lead to the acceptance of deviance. 🧵
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For parents, and most adults, it would seem a “no brainer” that federal law would require that children be seated with their parents or guardians when flying together.
Actually, it is not that uncommon and there are no regulations to prevent it from happening.
Here's what every parent needs to know before they fly. ⬇️
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On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171 went down moments after takeoff. Within weeks, the preliminary report blamed the pilots — fuel cutoff switches allegedly moved from run to cutoff. Case closed.
But electrical engineer Jeremy John Thompson isn't so sure.
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Check out our March newsletter! The cover story, “The Aviation Safety Margin is Getting Thinner,” discusses the normalization of deviance and its impacts on aviation safety.
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Other stories include a piece on the criminal and civil cases arising from the 737 MAX disasters and the families' continued fight for accountability, and a follow-up piece about flying with children that continues the discussion of considerations when flying with children. Ending with a remembrance of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 as we reached the seven-year anniversary of this MAX crash, which took 157 lives, and a quick look at the legal troubles that continue for Boeing.
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Read the newsletter here: foundationforaviationsafety.…
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You can also subscribe on our website to have it delivered straight to your inbox!
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#aviationsafety #aviationnews
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Check out our latest newsletter! The cover story, “The Cost of Complacency,” recounts a quote from a famous Captain with nearly 40 years at sea and how complacency can end in tragedy in any industry.
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Other stories include a piece on the United States V. The Boeing Company case and how deferred prosecution is being used to delay justice for the victim's family members. An introduction to our documentary premiere, STANDARDS Episode One, a series examining the eroding standards that led to the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes, the Alaska Airlines flight 1282 door plug blowout, and other recent aviation disasters involving Boeing aircraft and deficient government oversight. Closing out with Aviation Updates from Around the World.
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Click here to read the newsletter: foundationforaviationsafety.…
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You can also subscribe on our website to have it delivered straight to your inbox!
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#aviationsafety #aviationnews
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Two brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes crashed within five months. 346 people were killed. The public was told the problems were fixed. Boeing and government authorities declared the aircraft safe.
This documentary follows the families who refused to move on — who turned grief into action — and the safety advocates and insiders who believe deeper problems remain unresolved.
Watch Full Documentary ➡️ youtube.com/watch?v=mZg_U9E0…
Learn more about aviation safety at foundationforaviationsafety.…
STANDARDS Trailer
youtube.com/watch?v=nbJ3Soqe…
STANDARDS Documentary
youtube.com/watch?v=mZg_U9E0…
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On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171—a Boeing 787-8—went down just moments after takeoff. Within weeks, a preliminary report pointed the finger at the pilots, citing fuel cutoff switches that allegedly "transitioned" from run to cutoff. Case closed—or so it seemed. But what if that story doesn’t hold up? Electrical engineer Jeremy John Thompson saw something else. In this episode of Warning Bells, Ed and Joe talk with Jeremy about his painstaking technical analysis—an investigation built from system logic, failure modes, and engineering reality. His work points to a plausible electrical failure scenario that challenges the official account and exposes what the report left out: missing data, unexamined aircraft systems, and a troubling rush to blame the flight crew. As online commentators pile on and uncomfortable truths get buried, Jeremy follows the signals—literally—inside a Boeing 787, tracing how a hidden electrical fault could cascade into catastrophe.
The Foundation for Aviation Safety has evidence indicating the Air India airplane had a long history of serious electrical problems including a fire in the P100 Power Panel. This episode lays out Jeremy’s findings step by step—and asks the question investigators should have started with: What really failed first? If you care about aviation safety, investigative integrity, and the truth behind preventable disasters, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
Or Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/1vQ…
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In the spirit of New Year's Resolutions, check out our latest newsletter! The cover story, “It’s New Year’s Resolution Time,” details the foundation's wishes to the FAA, Boeing, NTSB, and others in an effort to improve aviation safety.
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Other stories include a year in review titled "'Tis the Season," a fun twist on a classic Christmas tale that you might just recognize, and "The 'Brand New ATC System' Contract Awarded" details who will be overhauling the air traffic control system and our hopes going forward. Our final stories are a health-related piece, an intern spotlight, and more information on how to support the foundation's mission!
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To read the newsletter, click here: foundationforaviationsafety.…
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You can also subscribe on our website to have it delivered straight to your inbox!
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#aviationsafety #aviationnews
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Join Ed and Joe on Warning Bells as they welcome Charles Hoefer for a chilling deep dive into a case that ties a brand-new RV factory to the illicit production of critical flight components, reveals troubling government inaction, and raises urgent questions about hidden safety risks to passengers and flight crews.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
Or Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7df…
Check out our latest newsletter! The cover story, "The National Transportation Safety Board," provides a history of the NTSB, its purpose, and what it is not.
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Other stories include a piece on how Pratt & Whitney engine shortages impact fleets across the world, another on the dominance of two major manufacturers, Boeing and Airbus, and how this direct competition between them could create a dangerous environment for cutting corners. Finally, an update on the UPS Airlines Flight 2976 investigation.
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To read the newsletter, click here: foundationforaviationsafety.…
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You can also subscribe on our website to have it delivered straight to your inbox!
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In this episode of Warning Bells, Foundation for Aviation Safety’s Ed Pierson and Randy Klatt examine how leadership—or the lack of it—shapes aviation accident investigations. Drawing lessons from recent tragedies, including the Air India Flight 171 disaster, they discuss the crucial role of integrity, humility, and accountability in uncovering the truth. The conversation highlights the inherent conflicts of interest when manufacturers and regulators investigate their own products, the dangers of withholding factual information, and why thoughtful and experienced speculation can be both healthy and necessary when official reports are lacking or non-existent.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas…
Or Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/5uI…
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