On Thu, 28 Apr 2005 17:12:54 GMT, Larry Dighera wrote:

What I find disappointing is the late pilot's lack of authoritative
attitude while exercising the duties of Pilot In Command. He called
ATC and confessed his dwindling fuel state only minutes before
ditching. He asked ATC if he should exit the aircraft while it was
sinking. It was as though he was praying instead of thinking.

Just curious Larry,

You seem to be very hard on this individual. Have you, yourself been
confronted with a real deal emergency while PIC?

I have had (what others called emergencies) 3 situations where I did what I
was trained to do, and that was aviate, navigate and then communicate. I
had a failed vacuum pump during a night flight, partial engine failure
(lost a cylinder in flight) and an electrical fire.

Only in the cylinder failure did I declare an emergency. I posted my
experience to the rec.aviation.student newsgroup under "first emergency
which is archived in Google. I say this, because I always thought I would
be the type to "panic", yet I listened to what my instructor always said,
and that is to aviate (fly the plane), navigate and then communicate.

On the vacuum pump failure and electrical fire, after aviating and
navigating, I advised ATC of my problems.

From what I heard on the tapes, it appeared to me, the pilot was doing what
he was suppose to be doing. Aviate, navigate and then communicate.

Yes, I agree, he made some questionable decisions in the first place, and
even though the outcome came out with the ultimate price, it really seem to
me, that he did do the three golden rules of aviate, navigate and
communicate.

He made a survivable landing in water at night, which in my opinion, seems
like he was aviating the plane. He knew his position, so he was navigating,
and he was communicating, from everything I heard from the tapes on what
seemed to be a very level, professional level.

Monday night quarter backing is great, but when the pressure cooker is on,
we tend to react much differently then the comforts of our homes.

Anyone who fails to recognize that they are the primary factor in
saving themselves in an emergency situation is doomed.
Condolences to the surviving family members. RIP.

Only thing I can agree with any of your posts so far.

Allen
(who pretty much had to change his britches after aviating a "3 cylinder
plane" for 20 minutes.