Recently someone reached out to me to discuss Richard McSpadden’s accident. While I try not to be a Monday-morning quarterback, he asked general questions that are worth exploring.
When flying more advanced equipment, starting with light twins, it’s common for the pilot flying to give a takeoff briefing. However, usually that’s simply regurgitating a standard mantra without considering it further. So, that memorized briefing often doesn’t account for that airport on that day—things like runway length, surrounding terrain and obstacles, weather, etc.
