While it would be foolhardy to attempt a challenging back-country landing if your only recent experience involves shooting ILSes, the same cannot be said for low-level maneuvering: It’s always a bad idea. In fact, low-level maneuvering, according to AOPA Air Safety Institute’s 23rd Joseph T. Nall Report, a regular look-see at general aviation accidents, is “one of the two leading causes of pilot-related fatalities.”

