The basic facts are that someone (or more than one) screwed up. Be it the
pilot of the tow plane the glider pilot or the engineers.

The basic cause is probably one we have seen many times before,
speculation as to cause, pointing the finger of blame only add to the
confusion.

Experience shows that rumour becomes fact it also shows that no matter
what happens we will get debate.

Expecting witnesses to speak out before the enquiry is complete would in
my opinion be wrong, what someone sees is not always the complete answer.

Our sport is dangerous even more so if you do not take care with flying or
maintainance.

Heathly discussion is always helpful, especially to the new guys, but it
is a matter of degrees and remembering that is what it is.

In the event of a technical problem one would expect a bulletin me to be
issued as soon as possible, in the event of a pilot screw up we will just
have to sit and wait.

We all know in todays climate of blame culture we have to be especially
carefull about what we say and print -- but that should not stifle safety
awareness.

Just my thoughts

Dave



At 03:19 29 August 2009, Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Aug 28, 9:07=A0pm, Ramy wrote:
Agree in general, but chances are that some readers on RAS know the
facts and can share with us much faster than the NTSB will, and indeed
that seems to be the case here.
We all take it personally when one of us get killed, and want to know
why.
Thanks to all who contributed.

Ramy

On Aug 28, 5:48=A0pm, Scott wrote:

Ramy wrote:
I expected someone will come up sooner or later with the lame
request
to wait for the "official accident report". It is comments like
this
which often prevent useful discussions about accidents and how to
prevent them. I for one learned much more about accidents from RAS
then from "official accident reports". Are you referring to the
usually useless NTSB reports, or to accident reports in the
soaring
magazine which may take months or years to come if at all? We had
too
many fatalities this year yet I don't recall seeing any
"official
accident reports". Meanwhile more could die from the same
reasons.
I'm with Kirk and also hope that if something will ever happen to
me
people will discuss it right away and try to learn from it.

Ramy

Just to play devil's advocate...what can be learned from "what
ifs"?

If I weren't there to physically witness the accident, I might as
well
say the engine quit and someone made a 180 degree turn to return to
the
field and spun in. =A0What is learned by that? =A0Especially if the
rea=
l
cause was something such as a forgotten bolt or pin, causing the
wing
t=
o
fold.

I myself prefer to wait for an investigation where there are at
least
some preliminary FACTS. =A0That's just the way I work, I guess.....

Scott

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Details on an accident may come out early, others may come out years
later and never be part of the official record. I know of at least
two here in Colorado that are rather different than the official
findings. Can't fault the investigators as the information just
wasn't available to them at the time of the investigations.