What kills most in the power GA world? CFIT and loss of control in IMC?
This is from the CAA Safety Sense leaflet- Airmanship:
a. There is an average of one fatal GA accident a month in the United Kingdom.
b. The main fatal accident causes during the last 20 years have been:
• continued flight into bad weather, including impact with high ground and loss of control in IMC
• loss of control in visual met conditions, including stall/spin
• low aerobatics and low flying
• mid-air collisions (sometimes each pilot knew the other was there)
• runway too short for the aircraft’s weight or performance
• colliding with obstacles, perhaps being too low on the approach
Addressing these points:
Flight into bad weather. Part of the IFR job, that's what we're discussing.
Impact with high ground and loss of control in IMC. A PPL operating outside of his personal limitations, maybe. IR'd professional pilot in a passenger carrying transit in a fully equipped IFR aircraft? Unlikely.
Loss of control in VMC, including stall/spin. Not in my aircraft, it's not a fixed wing so it can't stall or spin
Low aerobatics and low flying. I do neither these days, I have no need and no intention.
Runway too short. Helicopters don't use runways.
Colliding with obstacles, perhaps being too low on the approach. Some risk, but a small one in the professional world.
That leaves the mid-air collision problem. Do we just say "So be it, live with it", or should we do what we can to minimise the risk? I do my bit - it's my personal responsibility to my employer, my passengers, my family and to other pilots and theirs. It's very sad that others either underestimate the risk or are quite prepared to accept it and do nothing about it.