An Ounce Of Prevention

While this article targets what to do post-crunch, it cant hurt to think a little about how to avoid having to worry about the whole issue. As briefly and bluntly as possible, if you want to avoid an accident the data clearly show the single most effective way to do so is to take regular recurrent training. Take an hour of dual every six months-it will cut your risk of damaging an airplane substantially. Better still, get involved with and stay current in the FAA WINGS program. The accident rate for pilots who do so is so close to zero; its astonishing.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, July 21, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Regular recurrent flight training, especially through programs like FAA WINGS, is the most effective way to substantially reduce overall accident risk, including common runway loss of control incidents.
The greatest risk for fatal accidents is attempting VFR flight in low VFR or IMC conditions; if caught in such weather, pilots should prioritize seeking help from ATC, landing at a nearby airport, or making an off-airport landing.
Always wear shoulder harnesses and restraint systems to significantly prevent serious injury, particularly head trauma, for occupants in the event of an accident.

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While this article targets what to do post-crunch, it can’t hurt to think a little about how to avoid having to worry about the whole issue. As briefly and bluntly as possible, if you want to avoid an accident the data clearly show the single most effective way to do so is to take regular recurrent training. Take an hour of dual every six months—it will cut your risk of damaging an airplane substantially. Better still, get involved with and stay current in the FAA WINGS program. The accident rate for pilots who do so is so close to zero; it’s astonishing.