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The checklist at
left attempts to serve as a reminder as to why conscientious use
of checklists is a must--even (or perhaps especially) when the
pilot has thousands of hours in type and many checklist items
seem innocuous.
Click on underlined checklist items to read NTSB reports of
accidents or incidents caused due partially or in full to pilot
omission of that checklist item. Admittedly, some of the entries
are a bit of a stretch--it's hard to imagine somebody bending
metal because they didn't check the Hobbs meter before takeoff
(outside of the prolonged case where overhauls are not performed
far after the recommended time). On the other hand, other entries
(read: FUEL QUANTITY--VISUALLY EXAMINE) have literally hundreds
upon hundreds of examples in the NTSB database.
Some of the reports linked to resulted in fatalities. Many resulted
in serious injury, and most if not all resulted in bent metal
leading to serious expense and possible embarassment for those
involved. It is not our wish to make light of the gravity of these
accidents, but rather to keep their memory strong so that such
things will not happen in the future.
The checklist presented, of course, is for a typical nonexistant
aircraft, with a few items ommitted and a few concessions to allow
the emphasis of the safety points we are hoping to make.
"The accident airplane was found in
the Mississippi River. The pilot was found fatally injured. Automated
Flight Service Station briefed N5747U's pilot six times and that
pilot was told in each briefing that a visual flight rules flight
was not recommended."
VFR
into IMC constitutes the single largest class of fatal accidents
for General Aviation. Chances are that when you get into trouble,
the warning signs would not have been this obvious. Constant vigilance
and prudence must always be maintained. The stakes are too high
not to.
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