GA accident causes - NTSB Never got it right??

[worldpilot]

Check this out!

http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/06/12/unfit-for-flight-part-2/10405451/

Apparently, NTSB attributed pilot error as leading cause of GA accident while part malfunctions and design flaws were the major causes of the incidents.:=

Check this out too!

http://www.usatoday.com/longform/news/nation/2014/06/14/unfit-for-flight-part-3/10533813/

WP

[stevelup]

Both articles written by the same 'journalist' who clearly has an axe to grind...

[LysanderV8]

See AOPA's response


http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/11527081/aopa-refutes-usa-todays-misleading-report-on-general-aviation-safety (http://www.aviationpros.com/press_release/11527081/aopa-refutes-usa-todays-misleading-report-on-general-aviation-safety)

[Genghis the Engineer]

That sort of unbalanced journalism is good in that it tends to provoke a healthy debate, and bad in that it gives poor impressions of things, one way or the other. Arguably however it's as bad as those (e.g. most of the gyroplane community!) pushing out completely unbalanced claims that a corner of aviation is far safer than it really is.

The reality is that there's truth there, and AOPA's response is rather over-dismissive. For example, the whole thing about Cessna seat rails was very real, and the US courts were absolutely right to give the company a massive smack over the wrist for ignoring that.

On the other hand, blaming a supplier of "old technology" carburettors for the fact that some pilots fly single engined aeroplanes without ensuring that they can deal with an engine failure at any time, is facile and shows that AOPA is quite right that this journalist is unbalanced an irresponsible.

G

[barit1]

My old man learned to fly behind a WWI-surplus Curtiss OX-5 engine, and engine failures were almost routine. Single ignition, water-cooled, open valve rockers... You trained for it and took some pride in taking it in stride.

And when he encountered carb ice seven decades later (yes, seven decades) it was still a conditioned reflex. He never dented a fairing in all that time. :)