Risk Management Magazine

Not all on-duty mishaps occur in tactical vehicles or aircraft. The things Soldiers do during downtime can just as easily affect mission readiness.

During one deployment, I was part of an aircrew that, upon landing, discovered an open and damaged engine nacelle. My first reaction was how the nacelle latch could fail in flight because I always check them during my walk-around. I asked myself, “I did check them this time, right?”

I hope anyone reading this article will take this experience to heart and recognize the sights, sounds and smells from that night are ones I will never forget. The life you save could be your own, but it could also be one you can’t live with taking.