Risk Management Magazine

Unlike most close-call stories, my accident was documented as human failure. Trust me, the words human failure hurt when seen on an accident report.

The nose continued to weathervane to the right in search of the wind, and the aircraft began a turning descent toward the treetops. My ability to interpret symbology then began to deteriorate as I focused intently on not overtorquing the aircraft.

Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing and yelling that dramatic conditioning (read: television) prepares us to look for is rarely seen in real life.