Stupid Pilot Tricks

Like the (un?)welcome holiday letter from distant edges of your family, its again time to see how the GA family has fared in our annual Safety-Takes-A-Holiday review. The rules are simple: Applicants need only do something stupid in an aircraft that results in financial harm but no loss of life. Qualifying lapses in aeronautical decision making (ADM) can occur in IMC or VMC, day or night, with or without a valid pilot certificate and in anything that flies-legally or not. Boneheaded stunts must be verified by the NTSB, so were using calamities from 2011, the most recent with NTSB-posted probable cause. No, we dont make this stuff up.

Key Takeaways:

• Many incidents stemmed from fundamental errors in airmanship, such as poor landing technique, loss of directional control, and attempting flights in adverse conditions like tailwinds or unsuitable terrain.
• A significant number of accidents involved critical lapses in pilot judgment, including fuel mismanagement, over-reliance on GPS leading to landing at wrong locations, and unsafe maneuvers like practicing slow flight at dangerously low altitudes.
• The review highlighted numerous cases of uncertified individuals attempting flights, as well as certified pilots demonstrating a severe lack of basic aeronautical decision-making and judgment, sometimes even with an instructor present.
• Beyond operational errors, some pilots engaged in reckless or illegal behavior, such as flying without a certificate or attempting to conceal accident wreckage from authorities.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

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