Why Soaring's Safety Record Doesn't Improve

At 15:36 15 May 2004, Bullwinkle wrote: (snip)

Once you've made the shift, you're no longer blaming
the accident pilot for
being an idiot who didn't listen to their instructor
(therefore it's all the
pilot's fault), you're wondering what could have been
done differently to
prevent the fatality, or lessen or prevent the injury.

And I don't want to hear from the 'prevent the accident
and you've prevented
the injury' crowd. That argument is so wrong a 5 year
old could see through.


I wish that you were right, unfortunately you are so
very wrong in one respect. The prevent the accident
prevent the injury statement is very right, in fact
it is the only certain way of preventing the injury,
you may deny that all you wish but until you accept
that the injury is caused by the accident you will
get nowhere. Why do I say this, simple.
In 30 years I attended many motor vehicle accidents
and investigated the causes. A large proportion of
the accidents were fatal (My rank meant that I had
to attend all fatal accidents in my area) however I
also attended non fatal incidents. What was very clear
to me was that once control of the vehicle was lost
by the driver, in other words the circumstances that
came together to cause the accident happened the outcome,
damage, injury or death was a matter OF PURE BLIND
CHANCE. While it is possible to make vehicles safer
this is by no means the answer that is suggested here.
I have attended accidents where the occupants of a
vehicle had no right to live but did, conversely I
have been to accidents where the damage was so minor
yet someone died, pure blind chance. I have been to
accidents where the occupants of the stongest, most
safety designed vehilces contain dead where the flimsy
tin can contains survivors so the 'design survivability'
is not the complete answer to the problem that faces
us. It can help in some cases, perhaps in a significant
number but never in all.
The only, and I stress, only way of ensuring the continue
health of the occupant of a vehicle, airborne or otherwise
is to work towards indentifying the cause and eleiminating
that.
Just think on this, if all motor vehicles were built
to the same standard as a Chieftan or M1 Abrams tank,
would any driver take care? Would they care if they
banged into things or not? If you wish to place your
fate in pure blind chance, russian roulette in a glider,
by all means concentrate on working towards making
your glider immune to your cock ups. If you want to
guaruntee to survive retain control of you destiny,
eliminate the cock up.

Please stop confusing outcome with cause!!!

FLIGHT SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT

DAJ401