[patowalker]

As a matter of curiosity @Flyin'Dutch' , how current is the FAA database from a medical point of view? What is the delay (typically) between the AME issuing the medical, and the status being revised online?

I had my medical on Thursday 27th, one working day ago, and it is on the system. I see no reason why updating is not simultaneous with issuing the certificate.

[Jonzarno]

There’s a thread running on COPA about this.

Someone there pointed out that:

“the pilot only needed to be under 40 when he got the medical. So, he could be as old as 44 and still legal”.

I’m not sure how old he was.

[Dave W]

Joe Lara was 58.

[Jonzarno]

How old was the other pilot (Brandon Hannah)?

I’m not trying to say he was necessarily PIC, but I believe (?) that aircraft can be flown single pilot. Of course whether or not that is a good idea is another question!

[2Donkeys]

How old was the other pilot (Brandon Hannah)?

I’m not trying to say he was necessarily PIC, but I believe (?) that aircraft can be flown single pilot. Of course whether or not that is a good idea is another question!

\

Brandon Hannah had a valid licence and medical, but no type rating for the Citation concerned.

[Jonzarno]

Thanks for the clarification!

[Paul_Sengupta]

This twin jet carrying seven people was airborne for a total of approximately two minutes. In that time, it climbs and accelerates normally whilst executing a right turn. It reaches 2,900’ before descending down to 1,900’ whilst further accelerating. It then climbs back to 2,900’ whilst decelerating and turning left. Finally it impacts the lake with an extraordinarily high rate of descent.

Are you suggesting with any certainty that a medical issue caused the accident, one which would have been picked up if the pilot had realised his medical had lapsed and gone to see an AME? That's quite specific.

[Wizard Prang]

The issue of a medical is unlikely to be the direct cause in this crash.
The wild deviations, to me, smack of an attitude indicator failure followed by a the
mad questioning of what is going on and a violent adrenaline rush.
Time will tell.

[A4 Pacific]

The issue of a medical is unlikely to be the direct cause in this crash.

I agree.

[Dave W]

NTSB Preliminary Report. He did hold a Type Rating.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a private pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. The pilot held a type rating for the airplane with no restrictions. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) second-class medical certificate was issued on November 12, 2019, with the limitation that he “must wear corrective lenses.”

The medical was in-date too, if I am correct that an FAA Class 2 is valid for 24 months on a private flight (which this was) for a Commercial certificate holder, as it is for private certificates.