On Saturday, 14 January 2017 10:41:10 UTC+2, Bruce Hoult wrote:

What does cancelling the task achieve at that point? Horse. Stable.

It's not like there's a race track that needs to be cleaned up, or any danger of someone else crashing into the wrecks on the ground while they are being recovered.

I have witnessed a fatal mid-air in competition, right in front of my eyes. Couple of observations of pilot behavior:

1) I did not even once think about continuing the task, instead I stayed over accident site to assist search and co-ordinate rescue with ATC.

2) Paradoxically, most of pilots (there was a huge gaggle, as usual) did not even think about abandoning task and head back home, even after seeing or hearing what happened. They flew the task after accident. It was fruitless of course, day is always cancelled.

In that sense, it is very wise for organisation to cancel the day right after hearing about mid-air and inform team captains immediately. It will be cancelled no matter what, even one pilot have made one extra turn because of mid-air. You have ZERO arguments against protest made on basis that pilot stayed at accident site to assist.

But as I said in other thread, competitions and mid-airs is routine we live with. It is quite simply unbearable.