On 06/09/2018 17:16, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:

While I respect Tom Knauff, his teachings and writings, I know my CFI
friend Dave, whom died in a planned spin with another CFI last week,
knew what a rudder does, Sergio, Don, all very experienced. These
are not the guys whom skills or knowledge are questioned. For that
matter how did Peter Maask spin in, he knew what a rudder does, and I
had heard that his trace showed safe speeds. I am afraid we will not
know what caused these accidents so we can learn how not to
experience these accidents. Why did Matt Wright still have max turn
puts at 60 degrees bank on that day?


This is a very worrying question. I wonder what portion of recent
fatalities involve current, highly experienced but older pilots making
unexplained mistakes?

Anecdotally, I notice that quite a few of these accidents involve 2
seaters. Maybe when there are two, experienced, pilots on board, the
dynamics change - both waiting for each other to take control and
recover when things go wrong?

Maybe there have just been so many other advancements in technology like
weather forecasting, self launching, navigation, instrumentation etc
that experienced pilots are flying much further on a regular basis and
they are just more exposed to the next statistically random event?