1
Oct
2014
Have you ever had to stand before the commander and explain yourself and/or your decisions? Just prior to that conversation, did you say, “Self, there had to be a better way to execute that mission.” Once in the commander’s office, did you feel like the only thing you could say would begin with, “Sir, no one was more surprised than I when …”
I’d just delivered the aircraft to the civilian customers, and they couldn’t wait to get into the air. After discussing our planned route, I decided to not file a flight plan. That decision almost came back to bite me.
I still talk to the crews of the flight about our near tragedy. It was a hard lesson to learn and, as strange as it might sound, I am glad I was put in that position. I often discuss the flight during crew briefs, and I am sure the other pilots involved do the same.
In April 1989, two Soldiers were killed when they hit an oncoming vehicle. They’d both been drinking and neither was wearing a seat belt. They’d been on their way to pick up a fellow Soldier and bring him back to a party. However, they never returned. What happened changed my life forever. I was their platoon sergeant.
While I was attending the Aviation Maintenance Technician Course as a part of my Warrant Officer Basic Course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, my wife and 2-year-old daughter came for a visit. This weekend allowed us to spend some quality family time together, but it was also memorable for a very ugly and scary event that happened on the roadway.
If there is one thing that’s true about safety, it’s that there are no new ways to create accidents. The same scenarios keep happening again and again. Sharing personal stories of these mishaps (or near mishaps) allows us to see patterns and the decisions leading up to the event.