What difference does it make if it's a "crutch for pilot error"? If the
error under discussion would have led to the deaths of the aircraft
occupants then pulling the chute was the right thing to do. Maybe the
pilot's training was inadequate to deal with the situation, maybe another
pilot in the same situation could have handled it. It doesn't matter.
The *pilot in command* decided his best option was to use the chute.

Somebody else said that most GA accidents are attributed to pilot error,
but that covers a lot of ground. Loss of control after vacuum failure in
actual IMC is, I believe, classed as pilot error because pilots are
supposed to be able to handle a partial panel situation. The vacuum
failure is usually listed as a contributing cause. The problem is, how
likely are you to recover after you've lost it while flying partial
panel? Having the chute would give you one final chance at saving the
people. To hell with the airplane.

Dave Reinhart


Ron Lee wrote:

Thomas, I love GPS. No way will VOR navigation be my primary method.
But let's get the facts about this parachute deployment and assess
whether it really saved four people from an otherwise certain
death...or was just a crutch for pilot error.

Ron Lee

Thomas Borchert wrote:

Jeeze, what is it with pilots and change? Anything new in GA is
bad-mouthed here - while at the same time everybody and his brother
complains about the old technology we have to use. You can't have it
both ways.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)