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Cutting It Too Close

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The fatal accident was primarily caused by fuel exhaustion due to improper planning, with the aircraft running out of fuel just 12 nautical miles from its intended destination.
  • The pilot's fatal injuries, in what was otherwise a survivable emergency landing, were directly caused by an unsecured 80-pound boat motor that pinned him in the cockpit.
  • The incident underscores the critical importance of accurate fuel planning, adherence to weight and balance limits, and securely stowing all cargo to prevent injury or death during unexpected events.
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When considering which airplane one should fly—whether renting, clubbing, owning or via some other arrangement—a time-honored maxim is to consider your mission and use one that’s most suitable. Since it’s never that simple, such an answer usually elicits a big “duh” from the questioner.

It would be nice to have one airplane to meet all of our possible mission needs and wants: nonstop range, a solid IFR platform, something that can land on water more than once or go upside down legally. Instead, the reality is we often adapt the mission to the airplane.

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