(October 2011) It’s an old story. As old as the Greeks, in fact, though it has been retold many times and in many versions. Its erotic, pathetic, heroic and cautionary elements receive different emphases from authors with different axes to grind. In brief, Leander was a youth who lived on one shore of the Hellespont, the narrow strait that separates Greece from Asia Minor. He became the lover of a priestess of Aphrodite — her name was Hero, pronounced more like hair-oh — who dwelt on the other shore. He would visit her nightly, swimming across the channel while she set out a lantern to guide him. One night it was stormy, and Leander drowned.
Accident Report: One Student Pilot’s Reckless Decision
Key Takeaways:
- A student pilot with limited experience, a history of medical non-disclosure, and prescribed medication disregarded explicit warnings and strict flight limitations to undertake a solo night cross-country flight into severe weather.
- Despite his instructor's and girlfriend's warnings about dangerous conditions, the overconfident pilot, who also had amphetamines and alcohol in his system, crashed in a vertical dive, likely due to a stall/spin.
- The accident was attributed to the pilot's reckless judgment, impulsiveness, and complete disregard for regulations and safety protocols, compounded by self-medication and an "attitude that he could do anything."
- The article frames this modern aviation tragedy with the ancient myth of Leander, emphasizing the timeless theme of youthful recklessness and defiance of caution leading to fatal consequences, contrasting it with the modern need for prudent judgment in flying.
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