Accident Prone Pilots

Interesting article on Aviation Week's website.

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/new.../accid0906.xml

I've always maintained that GA's accident record could be significantly
improved if there was an effective "wash-out" process that removed the
"sludge" at the bottom of the barrel so-to-speak. This article eludes
to that line of thinking.

I'm not a subscriber to AWST anymore so the article is free. It's too
long to post though.

Enjoy.

Marco

I've always maintained that GA's accident record could be significantly
improved if there was an effective "wash-out" process that removed the
"sludge" at the bottom of the barrel so-to-speak. This article eludes
to that line of thinking.

Interesting that they list "thrill-seeking" as an important risk
factor.

Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...

No idea, but it seems to me that these individuals are at the top of their
flying game, not at the bottom, and therefore probably have a lower rate of
accidents than the average GA pilot.

--
Peter

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
I've always maintained that GA's accident record could be significantly
improved if there was an effective "wash-out" process that removed the
"sludge" at the bottom of the barrel so-to-speak. This article eludes
to that line of thinking.

Interesting that they list "thrill-seeking" as an important risk
factor.

Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I would never call an air show performer a "thrill seeker."

Ok, it's a very weird comparison, but if you've ever seen the "Drunk Clown
on the High Wire" act at a circus, the person in the clown suit is a
world-class traditional high-wire walker who dresses like a clown and not a
clown who just goes up to try to walk the high wire.

(In my warped brain, it makes sense...YMMV)

People like Sean Tucker, Patty Wagstaff, etc. are the world-class high wire
walkers who can go up and "act like clowns" because they know their
equipment and their personal limits down to the nth degree.

These types of people are not "thrill seekers" they are professionals.

Just my $0.02 worth...

Jay B

Jay Honeck wrote:
Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...

Something like one out of 100 die each year. Airshow performance is
the most dangerous civilian flying there is. The problem is that
pleasure flying is second, ahead even of cropdusting.

The article is interesting, but does not match my experience. The
people I know who have had the highest ratio of accidents to hours
flown (really a much better measure than total accidents, don't you
agree?) were VERY focused on complying with rules and following
checklists. Both seemed to average something less than 300 hours
between accidents, managing to rack up 4 apiece without getting into 4
digits.

Of course that's rare. Most people I know who do have accidents only
have one, and the majority have none. One can happen to anyone, and
I'm tempted to dismiss one accident in thousands of hours of flying as
just par for the course.

Still, if I had to find the one big factor that most of the pilots I
know who had accidents had in common, and that was rare in the ones
that didn't, it would be this - almost half of those who had accidents
(including one of the two who managed 4) were aviation safety
counselors, and the vast majority of pilots I know are NOT safety
counselors. Even more damning, most of the aviation safety counselors
I know have had accidents without racking up thousands of hours.

Michael

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
I've always maintained that GA's accident record could be significantly
improved if there was an effective "wash-out" process that removed the
"sludge" at the bottom of the barrel so-to-speak. This article eludes
to that line of thinking.

Interesting that they list "thrill-seeking" as an important risk
factor.

And they are not kidding. We had a local flying family which lost the
father and his two sons in accidents which happend during risky maneuvers..

Son #1 died performing a buzz job and low level aerobatics in a T-28.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...13X24837&key=1

Son #2 died attempting to fly his Piper Cub under an overpass.

I was unable to find the NTSB report, so there is a possibility of an
incorrect memory on my part.

The dad died when his T-37 ate the prop of a B-26 during a close pass.

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...12X17161&key=2


This family was based in my local area. The "old hands" around the airport
can relate story after story about the family's antics. Unfortunately, the
stories ended when the last pilot in the family (the dad) had his final
accident. There were definately patterns of behavior involved.

I try and follow a pattern of managing risk by not doing stupid things,
keeping the aircraft well maintained, and flying in weather that is within
the capabilities of my airplane and its pilot (me).



Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...

You're right, there are a handfull of airshow performer accidents every
year, but, in my opinion, the warbirds have a worse record. Considering how
few WWII combat aircraft are still airworthy, how little they are flown, and
the high level of experience most of the warbird pilots have, there are a
surprising number of accidents - more than a few of them weather related.

--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

KB

Air Show pilots have the added problem of operating the airplane at close
proximity to the ground and at maximum performance as well in that
environment. This alone changes the risk factor.
The best demonstration pilots walk a middle road between conservative and
aggressive flying. In demonstration work, you need to be a little of both,
but not heavy on either end.
Its a difficult and highly specialized business and we do lose people in
this scenario.
The real killer is that there is often just no time to correct an error. If
the error is made, it simply kills you. Mechanical failure the same thing;
no time. If you add it all up, what keeps you alive in the demonstration
venue in aviation is the same thing that keeps you alive as an ordinary
pilot. You prepare; you practice; you try to know your personal limits and
don't exceed them; and most of all, you never stop learning.
As for the "thrill seeker" thing; its true that many in the business enjoy
the "thrills". The trick is to enjoy them without losing track of reality.
Come to think of it, this fits just about all of us who fly, whether we do
it right side up or upside down :-)
I lasted fifty years without a scratch, flying God knows how many different
types of airplanes in several venues including demonstration. During this
period, I lost 32 of my friends and associates to air show related
accidents.
Considering the talent and expertise of these people, I think I can safely
say that along with what I've mentioned above, perhaps the good Lord might
have been looking out for me a bit. Some people call it good luck. I think
it might go a bit deeper than that :-)
Dudley

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
I've always maintained that GA's accident record could be significantly
improved if there was an effective "wash-out" process that removed the
"sludge" at the bottom of the barrel so-to-speak. This article eludes
to that line of thinking.

Interesting that they list "thrill-seeking" as an important risk
factor.

Slightly off-topic, but does anyone know what the accident statistics
are for airshow performers? These guys are the ultimate thrill
seekers, and it seems that a fair number of them die each year...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

As for the "thrill seeker" thing; its true that many in the business enjoy
the "thrills". The trick is to enjoy them without losing track of reality.
Come to think of it, this fits just about all of us who fly, whether we do
it right side up or upside down :-)

This is absolutely true, in a very schizophrenic way.

Most pilots I meet are very low key, some might say meticulous people.
(There are, of course, major exceptions.) Many are introverts, and
all are very intelligent, successful people.

Yet, they fly their own planes. Although we all like to maintain that
flying somewhere for pancakes is a simple, effortless, low-risk
operation, inside we all know that the sky is unforgiving, and that
we're always just a few seconds from catastrophe whenever we fly.

Some of us more than others...

I don't pretend to understand it...but, God help me, I love it so...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
This is absolutely true, in a very schizophrenic way.

Most pilots I meet are very low key, some might say meticulous people.
(There are, of course, major exceptions.) Many are introverts, and
all are very intelligent, successful people.

Yet, they fly their own planes. Although we all like to maintain that
flying somewhere for pancakes is a simple, effortless, low-risk
operation, inside we all know that the sky is unforgiving, and that
we're always just a few seconds from catastrophe whenever we fly.

Some of us more than others...

I don't pretend to understand it...but, God help me, I love it so...

One aspect of flying that seems to attract intelligent, succcessful
people is that piloting, at its core, is about grabbing hold of a
[huge] responsibility and taming it. We all realize that it's not a
very forgiving activity and we are constantly reminded through accident
reports. But yet we thrive on our ability to handle the task at hand.
Closely related to that is our ability to deal with fear. Most deal
with it positively and others negatively (i.e. ignore it). Not unlike
soldiers in battle, the successful pilot takes it on and uses it to
their advantage.

I've met a number of pilots over the years and have always been
intrigued by the differing personalities. There are lots of them too.
The one thing that seems to be common throughout our community can be
summed up in one word: PRIDE

Most pilots are proud of what they've accomplished in training and with
every successful flight and also proud of the aircraft they fly.
They're proud of the responsibility they've taken on and managed. As a
big driver of success, it's no wonder that there are so many
"successful" folks that take up flying.

It's why pilots as a group are very patriotic.

Marco

Jay Honeck wrote:

I don't pretend to understand it...but, God help me, I love it so...

That sums it up for me. It's the desire of my heart. I don't see it as
thrilling, but as soothing. I suppose in another era it would have been
something else, but I can't imagine what.
--
Gene Seibel
Tales of Flight - http://pad39a.com/gene/tales.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.