Left_Handed_Rock_Thrower, 404 Titan
Thanks guys, you both seem to understand what really happens out there.
The Coroner did his job. Quite simply he needs to determine just four issues: Who,When, Where & Why . He does not convict or sentence, he may make recommendations.
In almost every fatal involving a young male pilot there is likely to be an element of Testosterone Induced Activity. This may take the form of acts to demonstrate their prowess, or acts acts that indicate a denial of ability to safely perform a task.
In every inquest parents of the decease will want to attribute blame to anything other than an error of judgement or act of stupidity by their son. Every time, even on this forum, we see the plaudits come in, "He was "the best pilot on the field", he was the greatest pilot, he was top of his class, he was a legend"
Unfortunately, the majority of pilots who conscientiously do their job, don't break the law, fly professionally all the time just don't merit a mention. They're not legends, not the greatest pilot on the field and more importantly NOT DEAD.
At the inquest, every avenue will be pursued by the family to attribute blame to the operator, the equipment, the standard of maintenance, the lack of direct supervision, or any other possible avenue that will deflect blame away from the deceased. Very seldom does the attitude or mindset of the pilot come under scrutiny. The observation that "he simply f#*@ked up" is invariably the reason for the inquest.
Human factors may hold the key to why there is a need to show off, to impress, to seek attention, to flagrantly flout the law, the regulations and common sense.
Sadly, by the end of the year more will have made it to the pages of ATSB reports and the Safety Digest.
A Chief Pilot will exercise due diligence in placing a pilot at an outstation, knowing that his judgement has placed a pilot out of direct supervision. The Chief Pilot will ALWAYS get to hear about acts of "cowboy" flying, either from other pilots or most often the locals where the stupidity takes place.
At this stage, he either condones the behaviour or sacks the pilot. There is no place for counselling, the behaviour will be repeated until sufficient maturity sets in or an accident results.
Pilots need to understand that it is better to be sacked than to be permitted to kill themselves and/or passengers, and wreck an aeroplane in the process.
The airlines engage in psychiatric testing during recruitment, this is not done in GA recruitment. Therein lies a potential answer to reducing the carnage of stupidity, yet this presents enormous problems of litigation, industrial relations etc.
I have said it before and I will say it again.
Aeroplanes don't usually crash, Pilots crash them.