Point taken. But, if a "choice" is what causes the failure, then it is not an "accident". Injury specialists don't call crashing the airplane (or car) an accident. The word leads to the false impression that nothing could be done to prevent the event. Lets all change this culture and realize, as noted in this article, that most injury and property damage is no accident, it is preventable harm.
Not sure mr. mootin understood the article: it wasn't permission to be stupid, it was pointing out what constitutes being stupid.
I don't disagree with his advice, though: do it right, or do something else.
Stupid pilots planning to kill themselves on that particular day, is not the point of the article. The point is all of us make decisions not in the best interest for ourselves or those around us.
The driver on the road trying to multi-task is the very same person that believes they don’t take chances. Take a look at the person driving next to you, are they texting, or just playing with their Smartphone. And by the way, shouldn’t you be paying attention to your driving, and not looking into other cars.
We all in some way increase the risk to ourselves and others because of complacency. Piloting a plane for many hours introduces complacency. It takes lots of studying and practice to be a pilot, but after hours or years (which ever applies) of flying, we allow ourselves to take on more risks.
We start flying solo in clear visibility, but over time, in lower visibility. Cloud cover at first is to be avoided, but later we fly under lower and lower ceilings. Crosswinds on a runway as a new pilot are avoided, but as experience increases, so does our tolerance (skill) for a crosswind departure or landing.
I can say that a good crosswind, 90 degrees to the runway is my idea of having fun, and improving my skill, but there are limits. We all need to know what our personal limits are, and those of the aircraft we fly, and respect them.
If you don’t practice in crosswinds, get training or avoid them. If you don’t normally fly aerobatics, then showing off low by the ground is not the place to learn. If someone makes a negative comment about your flying, listen, maybe they see something unsafe.
When we study flying related accidents, statistically, the plane was still flyable to the point of impact. Pilots don’t choose to have accidents, but they do choose to allow themselves into the situation that takes them to the point of impact.
Bruce Cortez, Commercial pilot
Need I "really" have to repeat the oldest axiom in aviation?
"There are old pilots. There are bold pilots. But, there are no old, bold pilots."
JD
Another Robert Goyer article for the archives......
Thanks, Robert. Fantastic article. I'll take it personally....(in a good way).