Learning from NTSB reports

"Ben Smith" wrote
Do any CFI's in the group point their students to the NTSB and usenet
archives?

I certainly don't think much of having my students read NTSB archives.
I've been flying long enough to have had direct, extensive personal
knowledge of a few accidentes that ended up in the NTSB reports. In
every single case, the NTSB report was missing data crucial to
understanding what really happened. Certainly my experience is
limited to just a handful of cases, but I have no reason to believe
the other light GA accidents were investigated any better. After all,
nobody has any particular incentive to cooperate with the
investigation, and many people have good reason to lie or keep quiet.
The resources are just not there to figure out what really happened
when some little airplane crashes.

As for usenet, it's certainly better than the NTSB investigations
because at least most people are telling the truth. However, you have
to understand that usenet aviation groups, like hangar flying, are
primarily for the entertainment of the participants and any education
that occurs is incidental. My experience is that 80% of what you will
hear in hangar flying sessions or read here on usenet is going to be
wrong. The trick is to figure out WHICH 80% - because the other 20%
is stuff you need to know.

Michael