Many mainstream aircraft accident series rely on dramatic music, a hushed narrator and cliffhangers before the ad break. Mentour Pilot, a YouTube channel hosted by pilot Petter Hörnfeldt, takes the opposite approach: calm, well-researched and focused on understanding what actually happened. His latest episode is one of the best I have seen in a long time.
Video: Mentour Pilot – “We’re NOT Gonna Make The RUNWAY!!” | The Terrifying Story of Hop-a-Jet Flight 823
A Failure Nobody Expected
In February 2024, a business jet lost power in both engines at the same moment while on final approach to Naples, Florida, and made an emergency landing on a motorway. Mechanical failure of two engines at once is considered practically unthinkable. The investigation found that two engines with identical service histories had developed the same hidden corrosion problem, and both failed under the same conditions.
What Impressed Me
The visualisations of the engine are remarkably detailed, yet the explanation stays easy to follow. You do not need to be a pilot to understand how the compressor works and why it stalled.
I was equally struck by the cabin attendant, Sydney Bosmans. Her job required no safety training, but she had completed it voluntarily. That training, and her calm leadership after the crash, got the passengers out of the burning aircraft.
Worth Your Time
If you prefer understanding to spectacle, this episode is well worth watching, and so is the rest of the channel.
Key Takeaways
- Two engines with identical histories developed an identical hidden weakness.
- Detailed visuals make the technical explanation accessible to everyone.
- A cabin attendant’s voluntary safety training saved lives.
Photo: Jeffry Surianto via Pexels