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Old September 11th 11, 07:35 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Bill D
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Posts: 746
Default Accidents/safety TV series

I have found the very excellent series "Air Accident Investigation" on
YouTube. Google "Air Accident Investigation", click "video", long (24
min+) then YouTube. This series focuses on airline accidents in the
last 1/2 century or so. However, the accidents, subsequent
investigations and the conclusions are of interest to any pilot. The
shows typically run 45 minutes without commercials.

Be aware, it can be wrenching to watch. The producers weave tragic
human stories into the show.

The take-home lesson is all accidents are human errors whether due to
design, maintenance, air traffic control or flight crew actions.
Ultimately, there was a human failing as the cause despite these being
extremely well trained people.

This being the case, one is reminded of a quote from an anonymous Las
Vegas odds-maker, "Don't bet on nothin' what talks." In other
words, human actions in small data sets, aren't amenable to
statistical analysis.

Another theme is that while errors are inevitable, the consequences of
those errors are not. Errors can be mitigated by "fail-safe" or "fail-
soft" systems. Standardized procedures and checklists can "trap"
errors before they cause harm.

This is what worries me about safety in our sport. We seem to believe
safety procedures and devices are not for us since we're too good to
need them.