Risk Management Magazine

It was my first deployment to Afghanistan, and I was involved in a nighttime mixed-aircraft, six-ship air assault to insert troops for a cordon-and-search for a high-value target. It was also my first air assault of the deployment.

Everything we learned in military flight school also applies to civilian aviation. No matter how fast or cheaply we want to get somewhere, the laws of physics will not change for us.

No more than 10 seconds after beginning my descent, I saw in my peripheral vision my canopy door started to move outward. By the time I recognized what was happening, it was already too late.