A topic we don't like to talk about.....

[Bob Cook]

Pilots will continue to do stupid things. Ed Coffman mentioned on Sunday that 90% of all SM accidents is running out of fuel.
How do you regulate Stupiditiy, lack of currency, or flying an aircraft that has not had a CofA for seven years (seen it!).

Yes, lawyers DO NOT help the situation, but love ones want retrobution and the legal system will give it to them. ie. Carnihan..... Ex Lawyers make the law.

Yes, the FAA is in your face, and for a reason. To keep the mfgr's honest and bogus parts out of the system. A mixed blessing...

And Mechanics ? I have my horror stories like all of us, but we as pilots and owners are responsible for the aircraft and piloting of such. It is our responsibility to assure their work is being done correctly. Checks and balance.

When things go wrong it is easy to sit back and do second guess the pilot, however, we were not there. We do not know what happened and we do not know the pilots mindset.

We do know that things go bad quickly and due to panic, inexperience or problems beyond control of the pilot things do not turn out as planned. He was not expecting to end this flight in the middle of fair let alone his life and lives of others.

The cost of flying is the cost of flying. The cost of shaving corners can you a your life or the lives of others. We are back to personal responsiblity of which few want to accept anymore.

Rant, maybe, just glad I was not in the cockpit and (2) I have control over my destiny.

Hopefully we can stay alive by learning from other's mistakes or experiences..... that's why we are here.

Kevinmcdo, I saw a 310 lose an engine at San Jose northbound after takeoff. Ended up on the medium on 101 ducking under the high tension lines. The pilot got out of the aircraft, including instructor and he kept saying "what happened". He feathered the wrong engine! Only when he went back into the cockpit and saw the lever position would he believe it! The pilot had 2000 hrs in type. It can happen that easy.. You could see thru the crankcase on the port engine.

bob