AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 78

This January 2003 accident also illustrates that isolated actions by individual pilots can have a major effect on general aviation when magnified by the legal system. There are similarities to the John F. Kennedy Jr. accident in June 1998 (see “Landmark Accidents: Vineyard Spiral,” September 2000 AOPA Pilot), with marginal conditions at night, an almost-rated instrument pilot in a high-performance aircraft, and a strong desire to get to the destination. These factors have consistently proved to be lethal. The determination to press on, which serves us well in personal and business life, can be catastrophic.
PILOT. The 47-year-old private pilot had logged 248 hours total time, with 57 hours of instrument time and nearly 19 hours at night. He had taken delivery of a brand-new Cirrus SR22 six weeks prior to the accident and completed type-specific training. This resulted in a VFR-only completion certificate and a high-performance aircraft endorsement. At the time of the accident, the pilot had logged 19 hours in the

10 miles, with scattered clouds at 2,500. There were two additional factors: It was still dark and morning twilight would not begin for about another hour, but there was a full moon low to the horizon. The Cirrus struck trees at a 15-degree nose-down attitude, creating a 500-foot debris field indicative of a high-speed impact. The final flight path was estimated from radar data. Beginning at 6:30 a.m. the aircraft’s altitudes varied between 1,700 and 3,200 feet. At 6:36 a.m. the aircraft began a descending left turn to 2,400 feet at about 1,200 fpm, followed by a climbing left turn of decreasing radius to 2,900 feet. The average true airspeed was estimated at 191 knots. Several witnesses reported the aircraft between 75 and 100 feet agl. One witness stated, “If he’d been two blocks east, he’d have hit the water tower.” The witnesses all agreed that the aircraft was moving fast, and weather was generally described as clear—except for one witness who lived a quarter-mile from the accident site, and said it was snowing lightly and the atmosphere was “hazy.”

“An airplane manufacturer’s common-law duty to warn of dangers associated with the use of its aircraft does not include a duty to provide pilot training.”
Cirrus with only 0.3 hour of actual instrument time and 2.3 hours of night flight. Almost all of his remaining flight time was in a Cessna 172 in which he was receiving instrument instruction. According to his CFII, he was nearly ready for the instrument rating practical test.
THE FLIGHT. At 4:55 a.m. (CST) on the morning of the accident, the pilot called flight service proposing a VFR flight from Grand Rapids, Michigan (GPZ), to St. Cloud, Minnesota (STC), departing at 6 a.m. A friend was to accompany the pilot to a hockey game, where their sons were playing. The weather was marginal with airmets for instrument conditions, scattered snow showers, and turbulence. The pilot called back again at 5:41 a.m. to recheck the weather, but it was essentially unchanged. The pilot mentioned that he was, “Hoping to slide underneath it and then climb out.” The briefer didn’t discourage him, saying, “The only problem you may have along the route, that I can see, is marginal ceilings.” Weather can be deceptive and certainly not uniform. At the time of the accident, Grand Rapids—20 miles north of the accident site—reported few clouds at 300 feet, a broken layer at 1,400, and 2,700 overcast with seven miles visibility and winds northwest at 17 gusting to 22 knots. Twenty-one miles south of the accident site at Aitkin, Minnesota, visibility was
78 | AOPA PILOT September 2012

The NTSB’s examination of the aircraft and engine did not reveal any malfunction. The aircraft had logged 35.7 hours since new. The pilot and passenger died in the impact.
AFTERMATH. The NTSB’s probable cause statement was, “Spatial disorientation experienced by the pilot, because of a lack of visual references, and a failure to maintain altitude. Contributing factors were the pilot’s improper decision to attempt flight into marginal VFR conditions, his inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, the low lighting condition [night], and the trees.” There was no discussion regarding the ballistic recovery system (airframe parachute) or the role of glass cockpits. But the attempt to shift responsibility took some unprecedented turns. The plaintiffs’ complaint against Cirrus Design and the University of North Dakota Aerospace Foundation (UNDAF) was based on the contention that the entities did not provide the contracted-for training. Transition training was included in the purchase price of the aircraft, and the pilot had paid for an additional 1.5 days of instruction to become more familiar with the SR22. His training records clearly stated that the training was to VFR standards only, and various autopilot procedures had been reviewed. However, one item in the course syllabus remained



AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012

AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012
Contents
President’s Position
Visual Approach
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Foundation Focus
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
‘American Angel’
International
Youth Activities
Test Pilot
News
Products
News from OSH
News from OSH
Fly-Outs
Fly-Outs
Cessna’s X Factor
Cessna’s X Factor
French Lessons
French Lessons
Flight Before Christmas
Flight Before Christmas
Safety Pilot Landmark Accident: Pointing Fingers
Safety Pilot Landmark Accident: Pointing Fingers
Ownership
Ownership
Technique
Technique
Never Again
Never Again
Wx Watch
Wx Watch
Avionics
Avionics
Summit 2012
Summit 2012
Member Products
Member Products
AOPA Insurance Services
AOPA Insurance Services
State and Local Action
State and Local Action
AOPA Foundation
AOPA Foundation
Fly by Wire
Fly by Wire
Pilots
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Visual Approach
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Foundation Focus
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - ‘American Angel’
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - International
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Youth Activities
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - News
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - News from OSH
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Cessna’s X Factor
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - French Lessons
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Flight Before Christmas
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Safety Pilot Landmark Accident: Pointing Fingers
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Ownership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Technique
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Wx Watch
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Avionics
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Summit 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Member Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - AOPA Insurance Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - State and Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - September 2012 - Cover4
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