Matt Whiting wrote in
:

Judah wrote:
"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in
ink.net:


The point is those things are unrelated to flight following.


The original point was that had he had flight following, he might
have survived. You are assuming that the OP meant that a controller
would have alerted him. I interpret it that had he been listening to
the frequency, he might have been more aware of his surroundings and
situation and taken appropriate action.

I don't think this is true at all. If anything, listening to the
frequency would have detracted from his concentration on flying the
airplane, a task that in retrospect he wasn't capable of performing
in
the prevailing conditions. I don't think adding to his mental
workload would have contributed to better flying.


Matt


Perhaps if he were listening to the frequency, he would have been given
the correct altimeter setting in a handoff and realized that he was
about to descend into the water.

Or perhaps the controller could have advised him that the weather at
the
airport was below Night VFR minimums and he would have diverted safely
to another airport that was safe.

Or perhaps his wife sitting next to him would have stopped bitching at
him for being late for their wedding plans long enough to let him
listen
to the frequency and fly the plane.

Or perhaps talk on the frequency would have woken him up from his
"zoning out" because he was tired and on medication.

Or perhaps he was suicidal and the whole thing would was done on
purpose.

Who knows what the conditions were or what situations might have
improved it. Your guess is as good as mine. But that's kinda the point,
isn't it...