As anyone who reads this magazine knows, most GA accidents are caused by the loose screw between the seat and rudder pedals. “Pilot induced” is the leading cause of accidents, not mechanical failure. But sometimes even mechanical failures can be attributable to aeronautical decision-making, like deciding to trust an aircraft after it has been in maintenance.
Let’s get something straight: Aircraft are not falling out of the sky with mechanical failures. Still, it’s just common sense to perform an extensive pre-flight inspection of any aircraft coming out of the maintenance shop. And on at least one level, you might think an aircraft would be more trustworthy after it has undergone an annual or 100-hour inspection, or had a major system repaired by a licensed mechanic. After all, that is the point of regular maintenance, right? But statistics don’t necessarily bear out this thinking. So, the pilots flying post-maintenance test flights need to up their game a bit.
