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Thread: Forum, IFR ACCIDENT CAUSES

  1. #1

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    Forum, IFR ACCIDENT CAUSES

    I heard the prenstation yesterday by CFI Edwars on 4 IFR fatal accidents. He had recorded flight info from onboard computers and/or radar tracks so there were the facts no just opinions of what happened. In all 4 cases, A Cirrus, a PC-12 and I think a turbo Bonanza the causes were similar. The pilot often listed IFR time in his logbooks but in fact didnt seem to have real experience in imc. In one case he bought a new , Cirrus which entitled him to a free IFR checkout but he refused the training. I think the PC-12 pilot may be similar went to SIM Com but didnt complete the IFR training or IPC. The seller of the turbo conversion also tried to get the buyer not to fly in IFM without training but was refused.
    In all cases it seems the pilot was relying on the autopilot to do almost all the flying, including in IMC and the accidents occured that way. In one case , in imc on approach the autopilot dropped off and the pilot turned it on and off 3 times trying to get it to capture the ILS, withouf success.
    To knowingly go into IMC without being pretty good and prepared seems really regretable to me. I ve done an IPC each year for insurance requirements and I can flly the needles ok and I pass every one, but I dont look for IMC and would be very reluctant to try a trip that requrides solo flight for hours in IMC especially in a fast airplane.

  2. #2

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    One accident was a winter takeoff from what they called Steamboat which was actually at Hayden, Yampa. It s a long runway but it was snowing with icing conditions and led to stall spin after liftoff.
    A good presentation, but I have a bit of feeling that most of us would not tkje the chances these pilots did so we dont have to worry as much. I think real IMC is like hunting in snake country,not something to take ligthly .

  3. #3

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    The shame of forums of that sort is that the kind of people who show up to them are already thinking safety and how to improve on it....and the folks that really need them don't.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  4. #4
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    Unfortunately you can't legislate against ignorance, complacency and stupidity and you can't make them illegal as well. Tomorrow I'm going to a forum at the AOPA Pavilion titled,"Why Bad Things Happen To Good Pilots". I'm certain it will help me avoid becoming a statistic.

    Learn from the mistakes of others....you won't live long enough to make them all yourself.

  5. #5

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    I thought of going to that same forum today, but it conflicts with the warbird alley presentation by the RAF with a 2 Spitfires and a jet for the 100th anniversary.
    I have given and attended safety forums for years, and the point I was trying to make is that often if we hear about a pilot who case is so far from normal safe practice that we say to ourselves that we'd never do that so we dont have to worry. Most of us arent going to go out and do low alt acro in a Mustang after a few beers and smoking a joint.
    Where we need to concentrate much of our focus is on the common mistakes average or our fellow pilots make everyday in the course of normal flight. And example is not firmly shutting the door on a Bonanza if you are in a hurry and sure as can be it will pop open just as you lift off and scare you with a noise like a firecracker. The learning is first to focus on making sure both latches catch when on the ground, and then if the door does open in the air, no panic, no harm is done, just wind and noise, just fly the plane as normal. Ans hope you are not the Baron pilot who lost all is ifr charts out the open door in winter imc!

  6. #6

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    Very true, Floats!

    I attend those safety seminars because I don't know what I don't know; being fairly new to aviation, I'm well aware that my bucket of knowledge is pretty small (if adequate).

    One thing I have learned, though, is that it's all flying. While I am a very VFR pilot, within all the technical mumble-jumbo of IFR discussions is some good flying talk about glide angles and airplane management.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

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