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, including dual instruction every six months and participation in the FAA WINGS program, significantly reduces the risk of accidents.
To avoid fatal accidents, pilots should never press on when encountering low VFR or IMC weather, opting instead to climb and call ATC, land nearby, or make an off-airport landing.
Wearing shoulder harnesses is the most effective measure to prevent serious injury, especially head impact, 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.