How can the FAA prevent commercial pilots from going on a non-stop wing-snapping thrill ride?
(e.g. a pilot's ex-wife gets on and they fake severe turbulence - falling out of the sky and claiming it was air pockets). Ok, I know the wings most likely won't snap off, but they have in older planes in the past - check the accident databases.
The only case I can think of that even comes remotely close to this was EgyptAir flight 990 on Oct 31, 1999. The final NTSB report [ http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2002/aab020 1.htm ] concluded:
"The National Transportation Safety Board
In Massachusetts, the period from 1990 to 2010 saw about 500 cases in which aircraft were either damaged or pilots had to take evasive or emergency action to prevent accidents or damage to objects on the ground. - In Wisconsin, as well as many other
The crew reported the near-accident internally to United, and the carrier, in turn, reported it to the FAA. The problem originated with the way the Tracon issued the clearance while aircraft were located on the far side of the ridge and some distance