Thunderstorm visible from a cockpit [Getty Images]
Key Takeaways:
A fatal aviation accident occurred when a flight instructor (CFI) knowingly flew into severe thunderstorms at night with a student pilot, exhibiting highly unprofessional conduct and poor judgment, as detailed in social media posts and the NTSB report.
The incident emphasizes the critical responsibility of CFIs to prioritize learner safety and education, urging them to be "experience builders" rather than "time builders" who simply log hours without adequate focus on instruction.
The article highlights the dangers of over-reliance on cockpit technology (like NEXRAD) without understanding its limitations, and underscores the need for thorough logging practices and professional conduct in flight instruction.
We teach as we were taught—especially when it involves a physical skill like learning to fly.
One size does not fit all in flight instruction, and CFIs have to understand that. Problems arise when the instructor is used to a fast-paced, learn-the-check-ride program or an airline academy-style program and tries to teach that way outside the environment.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![Thunderstorm visible from a cockpit [Getty Images]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/httpswww.flyingmag.comsitesflyingmag.comfilesimages201706everything-explained-june-1.jpg)
