Lancair IV-P down at Hilton Head

"vaughn" wrote

Yes, it was called to my attention this morning by a non-pilot. Bummer!
Folks killed on the ground is absolutely the worst kind of publicity.

Sounds like the pilot did everything right, just terribly bad luck
resulting in a tragedy.

I hope that the pilot was not trying so hard to save the plane, that he
chose a safer landing place with people on it, rather than a place that
would have torn up the plane, and perhaps injured himself and the passenger,
but that was unoccupied...

I sure do not want to second guess the pilot's choice. I guess I am though.
Human nature and all, when a death is involved. Perhaps the one person was
not visible until it was too late. Perhaps one person was a better choice
than several people.

I can only hope that if I was given the choice he had to make, I would
sacrifice the plane and my safety, over the life of a person on the ground;
even if it would mean putting the plane into the surf, or the dunes, or
zooming at the last moment and touching down very hard after that. I can
only hope.

My prayers go out to the man who died and his family, and to the pilot. Sad
thing, indeed.
--
Jim in NC

At any rate, even if the pilot did make the best choice, it is going to be a
very tough thing he will have to live with, forever.