A terrible tragedy happened yesterday here at my home airport and I can't
get it off my mind as to "why" it happened.

3 people lost their life yesterday. The pilot was a very dear and wonderful
person, 72 years young and a pilot of 24 years. "Jean" Bible was never IFR
rated and only flew 30 minutes or so each flight in clear skies and
daylight. She was a very careful pilot and always used good judgement.

Yesterday she was to give a "first flight" to an 11 year old girl for a
Christmas gift given by her Aunt.

Visibility at the airport was less than 1 mile...you could not see the
opposite end of the runway and yet...for some reason know only to God. She
departed the runway and was airborne for about 1 minute before slamming into
the ground about 100 yards off the runway center line killing all three
people. From the hangar the "thug" was heard but you could not see the
airplane lying upside down about 1/4 mile away.

How does something like this happen? Was it the pressure of not wanting to
deprive the young girl of her Christmas present? Not having to say come back
another time? Perhaps thinking she could maintain visual contact with the
ground and just to some touch and go's? Some way, some how, she "psyched"
herself into doing something that ended in a horrible tragedy.

This in a way is written for "Jean" the pilot and the two passengers that
died needlessly so that perhaps all of us can learn something. Pilots must
never give in to the pressures that be. We have our lives and the lives of
others in our hands. We will always make safety our top priority, know
ourselves, our limits.

I don't have the answers but I needed to write this...

Here's the link if interested..http://www.nbc4i.com/news/4035611/detail.html

Terry PP-ASEL

N6401F