Risk Management Magazine

Eventually, the pressure became too much and the 2x4 broke loose and shot off the edge. Gravity won again, and I followed the board and slammed into the roof.

After 15 years flying the UH-60M, I was back in the cockpit as a UH-60L instructor. Most of my state’s 60M aircraft were deployed forward, and more instructors were needed in the 60L to handle a sizable number of new aviators returning from flight school. I received some refresher training in the 60L, consisting of day, instrument and night vision goggles (NVG) flights, and was signed off to conduct instruction.

While the refrigerator power failure was unanticipated and unavoidable, this was a close call. There were several issues that could have gone better.