Aviation Stories - Paul Pakusch AVIATION SAFETY April 4, 2005:   Last week, the NTSB posted the results of its investigation into the fatal accident of a prominent Rochester area pilot. It saddens me to know that he was responsible for this accident. Those of us who were his students can take this as a final lesson from him on properly conducting your flight. At the time of his accident, I sent an e-mail to family and friends who may have concern over my chosen hobby. They know I'm an aviation fanatic. I am going to repost that message here, with some minor updates: I have been involved in aviation for 21 years and I've had a pilot's license for 14 years. I knew Bill well. I took flying lessons through his business, took both my primary and instrument flight exams with him, rented planes from him for a couple of years, worked with him in the Rochester Pilots Association, and had some opportunities to socialize with him. This is the first time that anyone I personally know has been killed in a plane crash. Yes, it is hitting me very hard. For the purpose of aviation safety, I read about aviation accidents a lot, but this one is hitting close to home. I admit there are times when I question my continued involvement in flying airplanes and this has been one of them. I was also deeply affected when JFK Jr. died, and a few times through the years when something startled me on my own flights. I usually react by feeling depressed for a couple of days and then I get my spirit back. I was camping when I heard about Bill. I dealt with it by going to a nearby airport in Dansville to talk with other flying enthusiasts. It helped a lot. The aviation community is a close-knit community. We all discuss aviation topics frequently, including safety and accidents. We all get the same questions from family and friends whenever there is a prominent plane crash. I've been told by people, "I was thinking of you when I heard about..." or, "I was hoping that wasn't you," or, "John Denver died in a plane crash. Doesn't that make you want to stop flying?" (I could have sarcastically answered, "Princess Diana died in a car crash. Doesn't that make you want to stop driving?" But no, I'm not like that!) I do appreciate the concern that people have for me regarding my flying, although I do believe there is not much to worry about. It's difficult to tell people not to worry about me because I can't guarantee that I'll never have an accident. The best I can do is to show how the odds that I'll be fine are vastly in my favor. The media has a fetish for airplane accidents. The spectacle of a flaming airplane falling out of the sky is one that's hard for the media to resist. It doesn't happen very much, but when it does, it's NEWS!! So anytime there is some kind of code alert at the airport, cameras are rushed into place, as if in the hope of capturing a spectacular crash. Photographers win awards for the best pictures. Sick, isn't it? Usually these code alerts are uneventful; in most cases, a minor problem requires the plane to land so it doesn't become a bigger problem. Then, because airlines don't allow their pilots to talk to the media, we get to hear passengers talk about how scared they were, which in turn scares the people watching the news. Scaring people is a great ratings-getter! And scaring people with news of how "dangerous" flying is is much more exciting than reporting on how much effort has gone into making aviation safe. For that, I'll refer to this website: http://www.gaservingamerica.com/ Routine deaths are boring and don't get much more than 30 seconds in a newscast unless there was something spectacular about it. The nation's biggest transportation killer, auto accidents, happen every single day. Look at the table on this website and you'll see how many people are being killed by what: http://www.bts.gov/publications/national_transportation_statistics/2002/html/table_02_01.html For the year 2001, 42,116 people were killed in highway deaths. 563 people were killed in general aviation accidents. (General aviation does not include airline or military) The majority of general aviation accidents come in three areas: flying into bad weather, low-level maneuvering (including buzzing your friends), and fuel mismanagement("running out of gas"). The NTSB found that Bill's accident was the result of fuel mismanagement. While anyone can quote statistics ad nauseum, what's more important is what pilots put into practice. If you don't fly into bad weather, run out of gas, or do stupid things at low altitude, you'll never have any of those kinds of an accident. Right away, you've increased your odds of a safe flight by leaps and bounds. Pilots are trained to recognize impending equipment failures, so even the rare engine failure accident most likely had some kind of a warning before it actually happened. I've heard it stated that flying is not without risk, but risk does not mean it's dangerous. How you manage your risk determines whether you'll have a safe flightor not. Each time I fly, I assess my own well-being. Am I tired? Have I taken any medications with side effects? Am I in the mood for this? Is my mind on other problems or can I devote all my thoughts to this flight? I get a weather briefing. Even though I have an instrument rating, it does not mean I can fly in bad weather. Thunderstorms and/or winds above 25 mph mean I'm not flying; I'll consider winds from 15-25mph based on how they are aligned with runways. I'll take rain and clouds into account based on visibility requirements and types of clouds. Anytime I drive to the airport, I "plan" to fly. Any number of things could make me decide to change my plans. I do a thorough preflight inspection of the airplane. If anything is not right, I consider how it will affect the flight. Some problems are only minor annoyances while others are a safety consideration. If safety is an issue, I don't fly. After the engine is started, there are further checks to make. After taking off, I monitor how everything is running right up to and including the landing. If there is any kind of a problem in flight, there are steps to take depending on what the problem is. If necessary, a flight can be aborted at any time with a landing at the nearest airport. These small planes are capable of being landed in a field or on a highway if necessary. I thank you for reading this. I am fascinated by flight and feel priveleged to hold a pilot's license with an instrument rating. I take all my flights seriously and try to keep up with my skills. I read a lot because I am always trying to learn more. I believe this kind of an attitude has earned me the right to take other people for plane rides, as I know they are entrusting me with their lives.