Another stall spin

On 8/26/2012 1:20 PM, Walt Connelly wrote:
Jp Stewart;822355 Wrote:
From TA's Dansville contest write-up:
"Unfortunately, we were also saddened to hear of yet another apparent
stall-spin fatality; Jim Rizzo, Finger Lakes club president and FAA
Designated Examiner for the area was killed when his glider crashed into
a farmer’s field not far from the Dansville airport. Jim was not part
of the contest and was just flying locally when the accident occurred.
All we know is what the farmer said (and this is 3rd hand to me) that
apparently Jim was trying to thermal away from a low altitude and spun
in (sound familiar? – it should – this is the 3rd almost identical
fatality this season here on the east coast)."
http://soaringcafe.com/2012/08/day-6...ille-region-3/

JP

Amazing that almost every time we read about such an incident the pilot
is highly rated and experienced. Is it that with experience comes
complacency? This gentleman was a designated examiner, makes a relative
newbie such as myself wonder. Condolences to the family.

Walt


My condolences to family, friends and Finger Lakes Soaring Club members.
Terrible and sad...

Obviously only Jim Rizzo could answer your question were it directed his way.

To your question's most general sense, I suspect there are some pilots for
whom experience does somewhat correlate to complacency, in certain things.
It's only human nature.

But my own thinking on such life-and-death matters, and the fact the question
is in your mind right now, strongly suggest to me that individuals DO contain
within them the ability to NOT fall (thought) prey to complacency. Complacency
isn't pre-ordained, it's a (sometimes, non-)decision we choose to make. To my
way of thinking, life and death flying situations deserve to be approached
with the active thought, "What could go wrong in this situation? If so, what
are my 'outs'?" If the "outs" aren't guaranteed to keep you alive, then
perhaps you shouldn't be "playing there." If Joe Pilot chooses to NOT think
this way, then J.P. may or not be complacent, but J.P. arguably is not as
situationally aware as fragile flesh might soon wish it had been...

Bob W.