Hat tip to Sulako’s blog for finding this amazing video that shows why its important to obey IFR rules like sector altitudes and how not to use your GPS terrain display. The pilot of this aircraft encountered a cloud but continued to valley-crawl while in IMC – which nearly cost more than just a slightly damaged wing from brushing against some bushes. Its amazing that they made it safely home. This definitely a video every student pilot as well as experienced pilot needs to watch!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nm8pNgqBAk&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
That scared the hell out of me.
I noticed in the YouTube comments that the passenger (who posted the clip) said that the FAA was already involved. I could only read the first half of the registration (N653) but as the wing was damaged I was wondering if there was an accident report.
I also found it reposted and commented here. The pilot seems to have confused the terrain awareness feature of his GPS receiver with synthetic vision.
Oh my gosh…
and their reaction is simply "ohooo" and a laugh in the end ?
I can't believe that.
I have never seen a video like that before. It's chilling to think how close they came to dying. The video shows how one cannot be complacent about inadvertent flight into IMC.
AOPA Air Safety Foundation says that 71% of the time accidents like the one that almost happened here are fatal. This appears that this incident of flying in the clouds without a clearance was NOT inadvertant, but rather intentional. I hope the FAA IS involved if the pilot intentionally put his planeload of passengers at such obvious risk.