Glider accident while filming commercial in 2011. NTSB Report updated

Brian, thanks for pointing out the duct tape repair. It adds an entirely new dimension to this accident. I sure wish I could see what was under the tape.

Bob K.

Brian,

Thanks for a really thoughtful, compassionate post. Peer and social pressure make people do strange things.

P3

On Saturday, July 6, 2013 7:10:27 PM UTC-4, brianDG303 wrote:
Peter,

I can't answer your question, but can perhaps add to the discussion. There is no question in my mind what happened and why things went wrong. I knew the pilot very well, he was my CFIG and I flew with him in that glider a hundred times, soloed in that glider, my first ever glider flight was in that glider with that pilot. He was safety minded enough that once when the wing dolly fell against the ship and punched a tiny hole in the fuselage you could barely get a pencil point through he called off the day. His point was that you don't fly a damaged ship no matter how slight the damage. The damaged wing in the NTSB images tells a different story. It's my understanding that the damage happened on the first day of filming and clearly he was willing to slap on that tape and keep on going. That is so unlike him, as is so much of what he did during this event, it's my opinion that he simply lost the ability to make reasonable judgements in the presence of the social pressure presented by being the star performer to an audience consisting of a helicopter pilot, a film director, stunt driver, actress, etc. knowing that he would be letting everyone down if he didn't come through. Perhaps there were financial penalties as well. In the past I've been confronted with such challenges and have failed to pass the test, I think it takes a lot to imagine the pressure he was under to perform, I suspect he knew he was in over his head and just could not back away.



The key missing element was the presence of a dedicated safety officer whose roll would be to evaluate the situation and stop the process if nessasary. At least two people were available with those skills and the mojo to kill the deal were close friends of Lynn's.



Because of social pressures people commit suicide, take all kinds of stupid chances, come to any number of bad ends. This is such a sad and dreary end to really good guy.

On Saturday, July 6, 2013 7:10:27 PM UTC-4, brianDG303 wrote:
Peter,

I can't answer your question, but can perhaps add to the discussion. There is no question in my mind ...
snip
Because of social pressures people commit suicide, take all kinds of stupid chances, come to any number of bad ends. This is such a sad and dreary end to really good guy.

This is the most reasonable explanation I have heard for what I have seen and read about the incident.

Sad to hear of the loss.