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Hard Landings

Episode 260: N9253N

·1 hr 5 min·5 clips
The Saratoga began a sharp right turn, descending at over 4,700 feet per minute before crashing into the ocean.
The episode begins with the hosts introducing the case of JFK Jr.'s fatal flight on July 16, 1999. They describe the aircraft as a Piper PA-32R-301 Saratoga II, a single-engine piston plane with six seats, operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). JFK Jr., aged 38, had 310 total flight hours and 36 hours on the Saratoga, which he owned. The flight departed from Essex County Airport in New Jersey, intending to stop at Martha's Vineyard before continuing to Barnstable Municipal Airport. Radar data shows the aircraft took off at 8:40 PM, climbed to 5,500 feet, and followed a direct course toward Martha's Vineyard. About 34 miles west of the destination, it began descending and making erratic turns. The descent rate increased dramatically, exceeding 4,700 feet per minute, before the aircraft crashed into the water southwest of Martha's Vineyard. All three occupants—JFK Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessett Kennedy, and her sister Lauren Bessett—died on impact. The wreckage was recovered from 120 feet of water four days later. The NTSB investigation cited spatial disorientation as the probable cause, exacerbated by haze and dark night conditions over water. JFK Jr. was not instrument-rated, and visibility was limited despite clear skies. The hosts discuss factors like his recent foot injury from hang gliding, which required crutches but did not medically disqualify him. They also touch on potential stress from marital and financial issues, though these were not confirmed in the report. In the second half, the episode shifts to the 'Kennedy curse,' listing multiple family deaths and incidents, including plane crashes, assassinations, and accidents dating back to the 1940s. The hosts emphasize that this crash, while high-profile, is a common type of general aviation accident due to pilot disorientation. They conclude with safety reminders for VFR pilots and promotional content for the podcast's merch and Patreon.

As heard by us

A grounded crash account that keeps the flight conditions and cockpit limits in focus.

Hard Landings keeps its focus on the JFK Jr. crash as a practical account of the flight conditions. It stays with the night setting, the haze, the four-to-ten miles of visibility, the VFR plan, and the fact that the trip was three hours later than intended.

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Why you'd press play

Want a clear-eyed breakdown of JFK Jr.'s night flight that ended in the Atlantic?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
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