Tom Seim wrote:

I recently read the accident report of the ASW20 crash (fatal) at
Williams, CA. Per the check list, they did a positive control check of
the elevator by having the assistant (co-owner) hold the elevator
while the pilot applied force on the stick. Resistance was felt, check
list passed. Only problem was the elevator was not hooked up and what
the pilot felt was the push rod hitting the bottom of the elevator.
Now, if the guy just LOOKED at the connection it would have been
obvious that it was not hooked up (it is in plain site).

Following a list may give you tunnel
vision. A DC-9 was landed gear up by two experienced pilots following
a check list (they missed one step). They were so certain that they
had done everything right that they ignored the lack of the sound and
thump of the gear lowering (common sense, again).

I took my CFIG checkride with the FAA. On it, I told him
"there is no PCC in the schweizer manual for any checklist. The
checklist requires inspection during preflight of the connections.
I find the (over)use of the PCC distracts the pilot from the
more important action: checking the connection itself."

He nodded, and we moved on to other things.

My understanding of contests is that an "assisted PCC" is
required by many CDs. I wonder if an "assisted connection inspection"
wouldn't be a better, higher, priority...

As far as the DC-9, I'd guess this is another example of
information which is lost in the noise.

I remember asking a car dealer about his warranty. He had a
super long list of covered items. He said just about everything was
covered. I asked him to make a nice short list of what WASN'T
covered. He couldn't, and we parted.

Useful information is prioritized. When I write professionally,
I do a 200 word abstract, then a 1000 word introduction/summary,
then a 5000 word detail. And yes, the 200 word abstract is first.
I'd like to see all writing (including the checklists) follow this
idea. A few important points at the front, the nit details at the back.
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Mark Boyd
Avenal, California, USA