airplane crash, how to overcome

Thanks for writing up that harrowing incident, Gene.
There is a big difference between being told something in training and
seeing an actual result...

Jonathan

In .com Gene Seibel
wrote:
I did wreck an airplane. Not exactly a "crash", but a taxi accident. I
wished so much that I could rewind and do the day over. It seemed so
final. Like that instant changed things forever. I felt so dumb for
what I did. Waves of regret would just sweep over me out of nowhere.
Fortunately, only my ego and airplane were damaged. I wasn't afraid to
get back in the air, except that wind made me very, very nervous for a
long time. http://pad39a.com/gene/flypix0.html

We don't have much info on your experience, but I suspect mine was
very minor compared to what you went through. Has it given you a
general fear of flight? Afraid of things that may happen that are
beyond your control? Afraid you might make a mistake if you fly? I
think most of us have experienced just a touch of what you must be
feeling, but we probably can't imagine being in an actual flight going
that wrong. I'm sure you will never see flying the same way again, but
certainly hope you will one day be able to enjoy and appreciate it
again. -- Gene Seibel Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.





bekah wrote:
I was in an airplane crash in February.
Not piloting.
I am a student pilot and I'm trying to get over what happened.
Anything from people who have been in my situation is greatly needed.
I need to know if what i'm going through right now is normal, need
some
one to talk to who understands.

"bekah" wrote in message

I was in an airplane crash in February.
Not piloting. I am a student pilot and I'm trying to get over what
happened.

I struck a deer with my van last year and nearly rolled it. It took some
time to shake off the twitches. That's normal. Post traumatic even.

You have the experience of knowing what an airplane crash is like, which
most of us do not. In some ways that will make you a better and wiser
pilot. Hang in there and get back on the horse, and I'd say it might not be
a bad idea to get two or three more hours of instruction just to help you
work through the jitters.

Glad you're hear to post. Best of luck to you!

-c

On 5/10/05 11:46 AM, in article
, "bekah"
wrote:

I was in an airplane crash in February.
Not piloting.
I am a student pilot and I'm trying to get over what happened.
Anything from people who have been in my situation is greatly needed.
I need to know if what i'm going through right now is normal, need some
one to talk to who understands.


I guess it depends on what you are going through, but you should expect some
stress after such an event. Everybody is a little different, but
nervousness, nightmares, and difficulty making decisions are fairly common.
These symptoms can take anywhere from a few months to over a year to begin
to fade, and they can suddenly reappear years later. Stressful events like
that can intrude into your family life and disrupt it.

Probably the best things to do are to talk about it, see what lessons you
can learn from the crash, and teach those lessons to others. By doing that
you begin to emotionally channel the stress into something positive and
productive. It is also good to enlist the help of your spouse, if you have
one, or another close family member, and also listen to how they felt when
you were endangered.

Such stressful occurrences are also a normal part of life. We have insulated
ourselves from it more than previous generations could -- facing catastrophe
now happens much less frequently in our lives. Because of that, we get a lot
less practice at dealing with traumatic events than our ancestors did. Even
so, we should expect that things like that will happen.

The worst thing to do is try to forget about it or to suppress the memory of
it. Freudian quacks to the contrary, it is impossible and destructive.
Better to deal with it now with proper counseling and keeping the memory
alive. And be glad that you will probably have to face such terrible
circumstances only a few times in your life. I can't imagine what it must
have been like to be a Jew in Auschwitz, for example. Something like a plane
crash, but instead of being over in an instant, going on day and night for
years. Amazing that more of them did not go mad.

Anyway, stay in touch with the group. Even if they don't help you anywhere
else, they will get you flying again.

"bekah" wrote in message
ups.com...
I was in an airplane crash in February.
Not piloting.
I am a student pilot and I'm trying to get over what happened.
Anything from people who have been in my situation is greatly needed.
I need to know if what i'm going through right now is normal, need some
one to talk to who understands.

When we have a sinus infection, we go to see a ear, nose and throat doctor.

When we have a badly broken bone, we go to an orthopedic surgeon.

Nobody flinches, and the problems are fixed. There seems to be a problem
with going to see a "head doctor". You have a problem that needs to be
resolved, so see the right doctor to get it fixed, if you can not resolve it
yourself...
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

Nobody flinches, and the problems are fixed. There seems to be a problem
with going to see a "head doctor". You have a problem that needs to be
resolved, so see the right doctor to get it fixed, if you can not resolve it
yourself...

And say goodbye to any kind of medical certificate in the foreseeable future.

George Patterson
There's plenty of room for all of God's creatures. Right next to the
mashed potatoes.

George Patterson wrote:
And say goodbye to any kind of medical certificate in the foreseeable
future.

Is simple counseling disqualifying? It doesn't seem to me that a
diagnosed illness or medication would necessarily be involved. I'm not
debating, I'm just surprised.

Kay
email: remove "ns" from aviationns

KayInPA wrote:

Is simple counseling disqualifying?

Depends on what you call disqualifying. Your medical will not be "denied", but
you'll get one of those letters that starts out with "not approved at this
time." You'll then get a list of mental health exams that you have to take at
your own expense. At least, that was the case 15 years ago; check with AOPA for
current info.

It doesn't seem to me that a
diagnosed illness or medication would necessarily be involved. I'm not
debating, I'm just surprised.

Just don't tell them that you've seen a medical mental health specialist (the
easiest way to do that is to not see one). Their main concern is that you might
be depressed enough to use the plane to commit suicide or crazy enough to use it
to commit a crime.

George Patterson
"Naked" means you ain't got no clothes on; "nekkid" means you ain't got
no clothes on - and are up to somethin'.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:tdWge.4972$1f5.3293@trndny01...
Morgans wrote:

Nobody flinches, and the problems are fixed. There seems to be a
problem
with going to see a "head doctor". You have a problem that needs to be
resolved, so see the right doctor to get it fixed, if you can not
resolve it
yourself...

And say goodbye to any kind of medical certificate in the foreseeable
future.

Really? If no meds are taken?
--
Jim in NC

On Fri, 13 May 2005 19:40:44 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:


"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:tdWge.4972$1f5.3293@trndny01...
Morgans wrote:

Nobody flinches, and the problems are fixed. There seems to be a
problem
with going to see a "head doctor". You have a problem that needs to be
resolved, so see the right doctor to get it fixed, if you can not
resolve it
yourself...

And say goodbye to any kind of medical certificate in the foreseeable
future.

Really? If no meds are taken?

The question on the medical form reads "Mental disorders of any sort;
depression, anxiety, etc", not whether any meds are taken. I would
expect that checking yes on that box likely makes the form go right to
the "automatic deferral until clinician information received" pile.

Nobody flinches, and the problems are fixed. There seems to be a

problem

with going to see a "head doctor". You have a problem that needs to be
resolved, so see the right doctor to get it fixed, if you can not

resolve it

yourself...

And say goodbye to any kind of medical certificate in the foreseeable

future.

Really? If no meds are taken?


The question on the medical form reads "Mental disorders of any sort;
depression, anxiety, etc", not whether any meds are taken. I would
expect that checking yes on that box likely makes the form go right to
the "automatic deferral until clinician information received" pile.


I think to have a "Mental Disorder" a diagnosis would have to be made.
If you just visit a counselor there is no diagnosis (unless you want to
have one for insurance purposes). I would guess going to see a MSW
(Master's in Social Work) and paying the bill on your own would not
qualify you in the "Mental Disorders" category. Or just do the damned
paperwork and be done with it. Been there, done that, it's not that
much of an issue unless you really shouldn't be flying.

Margy