Stupid Pilot Tricks

Each year we pause in the quest for aviation excellence to examine those whove boldly gone where others with a mere dram of sense wouldnt. This review covers 2012, the most recent year for which the NTSB offers probable cause to improbable silliness. Only non-fatal events are covered because we assume its bad form to ridicule the dead. Contestants are limited to the USA, because, hell, we invented flight, even though France claims the naming rights. Plus, few other countries offer our freedom to fail.

Key Takeaways:

• A significant number of non-fatal aviation incidents in 2012 stemmed from severe fuel mismanagement, often involving pilots failing to fuel aircraft or properly manage fuel selection.
• Many accidents highlighted a critical lack of basic airmanship, including neglecting pre-flight checklists, making poor operational decisions, or engaging in reckless low-altitude flying.
• Overconfidence and attempts to impress others led to dangerous stunts and imprudent actions, such as unchocked hand-propping or unauthorized flying, resulting in crashes.
• Pilots often exacerbated their errors by attempting to conceal incidents from authorities, only for the events to be uncovered by witnesses or subsequent inspections.

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