Pilot Makes Tragic Mistake on Family Vacation Flight!

This pilot made a tragic mistake while taking his family on a vacation and it was absolutely heartbreaking. My hope is that other pilots never make this mistake and we are able to learn from this terrible tragedy.
Everyone makes mistakes, even airline pilots. If you want to learn about the tragic mistake an airline pilot made on his honeymoon flight, then check out this video here 👉 • Pilot Makes Tragic Mis...
#aviation #flying #pilotdebrief
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[@pilot-debrief]

The forces generated by Jason’s rapid flight control movements, due to his spatial disorientation, exceeded the structural limits of the aircraft and it broke apart in flight. I have three children and that made this a very tough debrief. Thank you to everyone that support this channel, especially those of you on Patreon and my channel members. My hope is this video and the work I do helps to prevent future tragedies. If you want to learn more about the tragic mistakes that an airline pilot made on his honeymoon flight, then check out this video here: 👉 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5O1ooKIrM6ZrMU

[@gd4997]

Thank you. I could see your emotion.

[@stevengallant6363]

I'm not a Pilot & I know little about aviation. I really can't comprehend why a Pilot would not get their IFR rating & why would an unpressurized plane only have 3 oxygen masks when it seats 6. That blows my mind especially when the family is involved. I wish I had the skill (& nerve) to be a Pilot. It such a shame that so much of this is preventable. Hoover thanks for the videos & debriefs. I just imagine they might save a life

[@KenFullman]

Bearing in mind that even the most safety conscious pilot can occasionaly find themselves unintentionally in weather, would it not be an idea to, mandate that all pilots obtain their instrument rating within a certain timeframe (maybe 2 years) upon getting their licence? It seems to me that, had this accident never occured, sooner or later a similar situation would arrise for this pilot. If he's not even taking any further training towards his instrument rating, he's never going to be any better at handling the situation than he was at this time. Seems it's just an accident waiting to happen.

[@stevengallant6363]

@@KenFullman Exactly. IFR needs to be mandatory within a certain time period. I don't understand why a Pilot wouldn't want to voluntary obtain every skill rating possible? After all it could make the difference between life & death.

[@dboss7239]

@@KenFullman Not really a valid argument. A competent and level headed VFR only pilot will not find themselves in this situation, as Hoover points out the cumulative bad/wrong decisions of this pilot. And second, many, many GA aircraft do not have the required equipment to be able to fly IFR, so the idea of mandating IFR ratings is irrelevant if you only fly a plane that does not have the required instrumentation for IFR. ( bad decision chain - he didn't get training on this aircraft, or it's autopilot, he didn't comprehend the AirMET, he flew into deteriorating conditions with multiple pilot reports that the conditions were beyond his or his plane's capabilities and still did not turn around. And last he did not come clean with ATC and ask for help once he got in too deep as Hoover points out.)

[@Clancytheastronaut]

Air traffic controller here. Your videos not only offer valuable insight for pilots, I've found them very useful for my job as well. Every video you release helps me see things from the pilots perspective and helps me find ways I can improve my job performance. As a father myself, this one wasn't easy to watch, but the insight you provide will help many. Thank you for what you do, and sincere condolences to the Price family.

[@glasshalffull2930]

I’m curious as to whether an ATC would ‘assume’ that this pilot would have an instrument rating because of the high performance aircraft he was flying? Would an ATC even ask if a pilot was instrument rated as he was getting into an instrument environment?

[@igclapp]

​@@glasshalffull2930They will sometimes ask if they have a doubt. It's not to prevent the pilot from flying on instruments but rather so ATC knows they have to give extra attention to help the pilot.

[@Cersilaria22]

I’m just curious if ok to ask how long is your training ?? I can’t imagine how you can manage all those planes and souls on board so safely day after day you guys don’t get enough credit imo ❤❤

[@thundermustard]

I am a retired controller. I generally would have asked if he is IFR rated prior to offering. Ultimately not the controller's fault but I wonder if the FAA brought it up.

[@Jagrofes]

Stay safe out there bud, I hear it’s a tough job.

[@geoffreylee5199]

From many of these sad stories, I have learned that just because you can get a pilot licence, doesn’t mean you should.

[@barfbot]

like most things in life

[@Three-LeggedCat]

That's a really weak way to think. One should strive for wisdom and experience in multiple fields. If someone so chooses to become a pilot, good for them, however, they need to dedicate lots of time to its mastery. Don't be a wuss

[@Zyo117]

As someone who probably won't ever be able to afford getting a pilot's license with the modern economy and wages, it's both funny and irritating seeing stories about Richie people crashing their planes because of not respecting the skill and danger management that flying needs.

[@DMBFREAKNLK]

The same could be said for incompetent drivers behind the wheel of a car. There are far more of those.

[@your_royal_highness]

I was shocked when the guy handed me my license. I thought I had screwed up. He did say “this is a license to learn.” I stopped after about 130 hours because I felt I was not on top of the skill set needed. I could not fly often enough and frankly my training was not great; I never felt like I could deal with a spin as one important example.

[@gilmotier]

Being able to admit your weaknesses and faults and ask for help is such a valuable, underrated life skill.

[@wilsjane]

I agree. By asking for help in plenty of time, then absorbing what you are doing also improves your skills at the same time.

[@paullelys161]

@@wilsjane Always learning and willing to gain more information is a good thing even when you think you know it all.

[@wilsjane]

@@paullelys161 I am a chartered engineer and at the age of 75, I still come across something new almost every week. Most of the guys who know it all, could write it down on the back of a cigarette packet. I worked with one of them during the refurbishment of Heathrow and I am lucky to have any hair left. LOL

[@djsmith5510]

I agree and personally have gained so much because I'm willing to ask questions. It's always better to know as much as possible in whatever you do but I guess it is a life skill given that so many people are unable to do it.

[@kathyh4804]

Amen! Pride cometh before a fall

[@RobertMoser]

Jason was an old high school friend of mine. It shook all of us when this happened, and I've wondered for years about what actually happened that day. It was a shock to see his final flight covered here, but I am grateful for it. Thank you for treating this with professionalism and compassion. I can tell that you care, and I truly appreciate it.

[@vencap11]

Jason entered the clouds and lost situation awareness in an environment he wasn't trained, and killed himself and entire family for a vacation.🤕

[@willywillywillywillywilly]

@@vencap11 It’s crass and unnecessary to say something like that to someone who’s seen the video and personally knows the deceased.

[@iloveschicken6527]

​​@@willywillywillywillywilly Facts are facts! Facts don't care about your feelings! Truth saves lives!

[@realtoast7036]

I once asked my instructor, What causes most accidents? His answer was, Get-there-itus.

[@chrisemerson7743]

You wouldn't believe the folks that will stretch their fuel to the last drop! Thinking they can go another 15-20mi to so and so airport. Never thinking about who's onboard, their weight, the weight of their bags and how it affects the distance they can travel. That 20mi just dropped to 7 because they forgot about all the "duty free" alcohol they've brought back on their trip! Happens a lot!

[@marcwesley8513]

Pilots EGO and Complacency…..

[@calvinnickel9995]

It’s not just get-there-itis. Get-there-itis can easily be defused by having an open-ended approach to things. “It’s not a big deal!” “I can turn around if I need to.” “I’m just going for a looky loo.” It’s get-HOME-itis that is fatal. Now you are under pressure. Time pressure to get back home. Maybe pressure to get back to work or tasks. Financial pressure as every day you spend in a hotel with the plane parked at an FBO is costly.

[@AndrewGrey22]

Don't rely on flying if it's somewhere you HAVE to get to. It's too unpredictable. Esp. with light aircraft.

[@Snakepliskin76]

He's not wrong

[@Chrisovideos]

These videos always make me thankful for every time I've told my passengers, "Sorry... not going today", or "Well... this flight is going to be shorter than I had promised" or "Hopefully next Saturday will be nicer", or "Just a bit too windy for my little plane today" or "Oh well, It's really just about as fast to drive there anyway" and so on....

[@Riverrockphotos]

Better to be safe than in this type of a problem.

[@calvinnickel9995]

You sir, are an awesome pilot! I will fly with a pilot that exercises sound pilot decision making skills any day over one with golden hands and feet. And the thing is, people appreciate when pilots say no. The pressure to perform is often self-induced.

[@devonwilliams2423]

When you send those texts make sure to include this video or a video that has similar variables If I was a customer and got text I’d be peeved but a video to press your point I’d be buying you dinner haha

[@ralphholiman7401]

And, as a passenger, sometimes the smartest thing you can do is to say, "I'm not getting on that aircraft." If things aren't looking right, better to walk.

[@rule1dontgosplat]

One of the paramotor guys i watch said “if your attitude before the flight isn’t ‘F..k Yeah I’m Ready!’ then don’t go.” I totally agree. At this point I’ve gone to the airport and not flown as many times as i’ve gone and flown. Better to be on the ground wishing you were flying, than in the air wishing you were on the ground.

[@sananselmospacescienceodys7308]

Long time flight instructor here. Some years ago I received a phone call from an individual who wanted to schedule an aircraft checkout and flight review in a Cessna 210. The pilot had not flown in four years. When the day of our flight arrived I was surprised to see him arrive in a minivan loaded with luggage and his family. It was his intention that we fly for one hour and do three landings and that I then sign him off for having completed a flight review. Immediately after he intended to load up the aircraft with his family and depart for a two week flying adventure. When I declined to fly with him he couldn't understand why. In his mind all he needed was an hour of flight time, an hour of ground instruction and three landings to regain currency. That may be all the FARs required but it would've been borderline suicidal. The non pilots reading this will be surprised to learn that any general aviation CFI who has been instructing for more then a few years has had experiences similar to this.

[@wlamb9]

Bare minimum doesn’t seem like enough to load your whole family aboard. What are these guys thinking. What arrogance.

[@dieselyeti]

I've been an instructor since 2001 and all I could think of reading this was "Oh HELL no.." His family should mean more to him than that.

[@erauprcwa]

YUP!!!! I remember I had a guy who had a private and wanted a sign off. He nearly caused a runway incursion, an accelerated stall, and spin on our first flight. He also had NO familiarity with towered airport procedures because as he claimed, his instructor was an older gentleman who taught him out of a class G airport. Based off of his description of his training, I was amazed that he even passed his checkride. I did not sign this individual off, even after four/five flights.

[@danpolk]

Glad to have CFIs like you folks holding the bar high.

[@JohnDavis-zo4xl]

Amen!! 28 yr CFI and Ive seen similar. I once had a yahoo with zero flight time get a Comanche 250--was shocked to learn I would NOT be training him in that plane..

[@craig7350]

I find it amazing how casually he takes an IFR clearance, when he's a VFR pilot.

[@ianutube22]

Almost impressive isn't it? I say this as a private pilot working on their IFR rating.

[@skibird7733]

Plagued by hubris unfortunately. Confidence is one thing but knowledge of when to ignore it is a more important one...

[@JohnnytNatural]

Yup throughout the whole event he acted like he knew what he was doing, trying to impress the other person was part of his character

[@wmrieker]

well that probably was one of his better options. not taking the clearance, he would have struggled maintaining vfr (which he probably wasn't anyway, probably looking outside more that he should have at that point). so taking the clearance would hopefully focus him on the instruments. unfortunately he didn't have the ability to control the airplane that way. hoover said the pilot should have asked for help, and I think the controller did the best he could by offering that clearance, and then followed it by giving a vector, but apparently it was too late cuz the pilot was probably already disoriented. the only thing else I can think the controller could have possibly done is give a lesson on instrument scan over the radio, but controllers aren't necessarily pilots, let alone instrument instructors.

[@lindamckibben1763]

A real dumb ass!!!

[@kge420]

"... only have about 20 minutes to live." Those young children that should realistically have had another 60-70- years to live, that is a harsh thing to hear. RIP to all .

[@thomasdalton1508]

Indeed. It's bad piloting. It's terrible parenting. The first job of any parent is to keep their children safe. He should never have dreamed of flying like this with his children on board.

[@sarahalbers5555]

​@@thomasdalton1508with only 3 oxygen masks?? So unbelievably sad. So many other options for a safe trip that didn't involve him flying a plane he knew so little about.

[@thomasdalton1508]

@@sarahalbers5555 Indeed. Planning a flight at 13,500 ft without enough oxygen for everyone is questionable at best, but changing plan mid-flight and going well above that is reckless.

[@johnnytactical3054]

There is no guarantees in life…saying those kids had 60-70 years left to possibly life is ignorance.

[@thomasdalton1508]

@@johnnytactical3054 There is no guarantee implied in the word "should"...

[@user-by7ti1fc7f]

These are KZbin gold. There is actual emotion going on here with zero BS. A rarity. Great work and keep them coming.

[@eriklarson9137]

This seems like a really real comment.

[@lennysalvo6734]

Absolutely agree. Hoover clearly getting choked up got me too. He definitely cares about these debriefs and the lessons they can convey.

[@Cazador60140]

Turn around Jason your friends at the surprise party will understand you love your family nd there will be other times ....

[@SeltkirkTV]

​@@eriklarson9137yeah, it's a bot comment.

[@SeltkirkTV]

​@@Cazador60140who are you talking to bro?

[@calvinnickel9995]

If you are a private pilot, middle age, and are buying a “mission oriented” aircraft (ie: one that can take the whole family, high performance, IFR capable… with the purpose of replacing the car or airlines with something that’s faster and more convenient than both… you are IMHO one of highest risks in the general aviation community. Anyone who buys a plane needs to realize that it’s a _frivolity_ It won’t save you time. It definitely won’t save you money. Honestly the best plane for a private pilot is a Cessna 172 where you will leave it at home half the time, and travel with one or two family members mostly within 2 hours flight time of your home airport and maybe one one-month long cross country adventure every year. If you aren’t willing to turn around and drive or take commercial; wait at the destination or diversionary airport for a week for a weather window; abandon your aircraft at a destination or diversionary airport for weather or repairs, decide to leave the plane at home and take commercial, or simply not do the trip… you have no business putting your family in a light aircraft. Your successes in life cannot be repeated in an airplane. Aviation is cruel and indifferent and doesn’t care how smart or successful you think you are. You cannot simply will things to work out for the best.

[@Timshot100]

Perfect Not Me attitude explanation truly is

[@justinabbott8481]

Absolutely correct. Sad sad story. I’m a quite experienced pilot with ATP and a few type ratings and I have zero desire to buy an aircraft and all I ever take my family on are 172s and it’s all very local and has to be nice weather. Even then anything can happen but this story was just tragic.

[@cremebrulee4759]

I understand and agree with most of what you say, however, what does middle aged have to do with it?

[@MikeM275]

@@cremebrulee4759 It has nothing to do with it. Most of these types of comments are made by non pilots that haven't a single clue what they are talking about. They just think they're being impressive with their blah blah blah holier than thou comments. Grouping masses of people together into one skill level is ridiculous and they are just yapping hoping for likes.

[@slee2819]

@@cremebrulee4759 I think he’s referring to the phenomenon of people in their middle ages trying to catch up for things they missed out on early in life. Another example is of all the people who go climbing Mount Everest in middle age who have absolutely no business doing so but because now the commercialization of Mount Everest makes it possible. They think they should do so, regardless of the risk.

[@TWA727]

It is amazing to me how this guy was able to get his private. When I was going for mine, I got lost on one of my cross countries, and ended up in a mountain range with no sight of my destination airport. In addition, both of my fuel gauges read almost empty. So, swallowing my pride, I dialed up 7700 in the box, and very gently keyed my mike, and declared a mayday. Upon doing that, to my relief, I immediately got the air national guard on 121.5, asking me if I was flying straight and level, and if I had the aircraft under control, to which I replied, affirmative. I had already stated I'm a student pilot, on my cross country and I'm lost, low on fuel. Within 10 seconds he switched me over to NY Center, gave me a heading to fly, with radar vectors back to my home base of Caldwell NJ. After landing, I called the center to thank them for coming to my aid, and getting me back on the ground, safe and sound. The system works.👍✈️

[@ChannelSRL1]

What a tragedy. You're doing an incredibly valuable service, Hoover. You will undoubtedly be saving lives here.

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

I intend to get my private pilot's licence in the not too distant future... I'm sure that the information I've gained from this channel will come in handy on more than one occasion. I want to learn to fly, but not become the subject of a future Pilot Debrief upload.

[@sidhayes6168]

One right here. I am not flying.

[@lcfflc3887]

I would just avoid putting my whole family inside a tiny single engine aircraft completely period, even if i am the pilot, not worth it, we need to stop this nonsense, we are talking about multiple decades old pieces of trash aircrafts built in the 60 and 70, the time for this pieces of junk has passed, the industry needs to start build the new thing for generations ahead that will replace this tiny flying time bombs. Because of the internet ERA, KZbin and channels like this, we now realize how often this things lall out of the skies.

[@advorak8529]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@lcfflc3887 You did know that airlines - with excellent safety records - do fly airframes that are a number of decades old? You also are aware that new airplanes, built this month and designed not more than 12 months ago, can be complete trash and planes from the ‘60s and ‘70s are still being flown because these aircraft types have withstood the test of time - barely anyone would want to fly an aircraft that is crap, old nor not. If you want to know how often these things fall out of the skies, go read the statistics. And don’t forget the number of times car crashes happen, don’t forget the death rate by cancer, don’t forget the firearm incidents that maim or kill people. And you want to fly multi-engine planes instead of single-engine ones? Do you understand that multi-engine planes are more difficult to handle and with two engines the chance of an engine failure is (almost) double of a single-engine one? Never mind the cost of the larger airframe, twice the engine maintenance cost as you have two engines, the added workload for the pilot - there is a reason 2 engine planes tend to have dual pilot controls and many of these planes expect a second pair of eyes and hands. Even if you can fly them alone. What do you do when an engine goes on strike and your glass cockpit fails? You’re now the flight engineer for the engines - both the good one and the bad one -, navigator with paper maps (or maybe a tablet to get you to a landing spot and you also have to aviate, with a partial or completely missing instrument panel … and you may be in IFR conditions and your ears do the somatic hallucinations on you … Nice overload there.

[@randallgarrison8653]

Early on in our pilot training, we are taught to make a 180 in such scenarios. I’ve had to do that and have no regrets and was not embarrassed.

[@dicksonfranssen]

That's just it, guys get embarrassed.just asking for directions. I have a brain injury and have pulled over many times for a good stretch and to clear my head. I don't understand what this guy was thinking.

[@doctorpanigrahi9975]

Lol noob

[@kendallevans4079]

Exactly! And you are here to talk about it. Making the right decision is always win-win!

[@hefeibao]

I was thinking the *exact same thing*. Maybe I got lucky, but my flight school had a sim (3 actually) and when the wx was bad instead of cancelling we'd just hop in a sim and he'd put me in these types of scenarios with no warning. I froze up the first time (not knowing what I should do), but with a few reps it drives the point home. Glad I learned that in a sim vs. real life.

[@dicksonfranssen]

@hefeibao It's been my experience that good instructors will throw anything at you just to see how you respond. Real life is unpredictable, why shouldn't sim training. Some instructors go a bit nuts if you just give up, there's a line between learning and being humiliated that takes all the joy out of it.

[@universeunknown1880]

Student pilot here. I can see it your eyes, that this video was difficult to make. Please, for the sake of all of us, keep doing what you’re doing. Also would like to thank you for the video you did a while back about your background as a military pilot - you’re a wealth of knowledge and priceless resource!!

[@billnorblat4047]

Get that Commercial Rating before you start putting friends and family at risk.

[@SeltkirkTV]

Yeah sure bud

[@mrtbrocks5664]

@@billnorblat4047 and Instrument Rating

[@T18skyguy]

I remember a story of 4 friends who were greatly anticipating a flight. They had been planning this pleasure trip for 6 months. The pilot got his weather briefing, which was marginal, they taxied out, he called weather again, then he made the tough decision to postpone. Everybody was very bummed, but he said " this time next year it won't matter". A good pilot has to make tough decisions and disappoint people sometimes. A lack of humility cost them all their lives. Very sad.

[@austinrose9509]

His ego got in the way of his family's safety WTF!!!! Tragic!!!!

[@amorl4520]

His wife trusted him! Gaslighter .

[@howard5992]

I agree. We usually think of ego as pride ... an over confidence. I think in this case it was maybe more like shame, which can also be about ego - not asking for help because he believed he *should* be able to resolve the situation by himself.

[@advorak8529]

⁠@@howard5992 There is fake humility, which by definition cannot be honest. But there’s a thing to the “shame” aspect: “real men don’t XYZ” is extremely toxic. Not going to the GP to check out concerning symptoms. Not talking about emotions. Not being allowed to be weak, fail, ask for help. Not seeking support, in whatever you do, be it mental health or tying a tie or being bullied, or having anger issues, or changing a punctured wheel on the roadside or admitting to not knowing the first thing about the oil dipstick.

[@howard5992]

@@advorak8529 - I think we are agreeing with each other here. The main issue is he needed to ask for guidance.

[@deaf2819]

@@advorak8529there’s a few groups who absolutely feed into this issue. I’d venture to guess most pilots identify as members of these groups. These groups tend to attract the same type of people between them. Think gun guys,car guys,pilots, lots of people in a particular political party… These are things I don’t think people want to discuss in our country because it would absolutely impact LOTS of people.

[@PlymouthVT]

Hoover was getting a little choked up at the end over the loss of the family in this video. It is a very sad and frustrating story. I hope any young pilot watching remembers this video. Your a good man sir.

[@MatthewHaydenRE]

Bro is welling up. Tragic loss.

[@maximilian672]

@PymouthVT as an aspiring future commercial pilot, I can only say that I massively appreciate these videos. It is so utterly important to do proper briefings before and during the flight, even or maybe especially if you're flying alone, to be aware of any and all of your limitations, never cutting corners, not succumbing to get-there-itis, etc. These videos, not just from Hoover, are extremely valuable lessons. All the other pilots in training, that I know personally, are very keen on watching all this incident reports and analysis. None of us wants to end up like that.

[@devonwilliams2423]

Yeah idk if he’s married and has kids but I’m presuming so and every man can identify with many moments in life where dropping our ego and asking for help would have helped us out It’s just that in this predicament there was no lesson for that man and his family only for us that viewers, super tragic

[@midgie1166]

He is wearing a wedding band.

[@chrisemerson7743]

I thought the same thing.

[@charliealpha8888]

As an retired air traffic specialist in flight service from New York, your suggestion to call 800-wxbrief is good advice. Our primary focus is weather safety and helping pilot to Guage the weather to make good decisions. We used to have a term called "get there itis ". A pilot's refusal to change his plans. Rest in peace

[@MissDaisyTheRacoon]

It seemed like hoover was trying not to choke up when he said his heart goes out to his friend and extended family, which shows you that hoover does these videos to prevent such accidents and mistakes. Thank you Hoover, love your videos.

[@mmatejka01]

I could see this was hard for you. But we have to talk about this and educate people so this doesn't happen again. Keep up the message Hoover... That is all we can do.

[@overlordfemto7523]

It’s going to happen again. And again. And again.

[@tinkersailorhead4360]

Everyone could see that tear building up, you are doing a great service to the flying community.

[@PDGX]

I’ve watched several dozen of Hoover’s videos and can’t recall him getting choked up like this. I appreciated him showing some emotion. This was certainly as sad story, and I’m sure anyone with kids would be empathetic.

[@Frank_Nemo]

The fundamental root cause and prime mistake of this accident was....pride. Painful as it can be, ego-wise, people should never be too proud to admit when they just don't know or have made a mistake. My condolences to all concerned.

[@michaelbailey8729]

....... well said and the tragedy was he hadn't up until the point he refused to abort and turn back to clear air. The weather can change on any day, there is no shame is aborting a flight. Its the smart thing to do.

[@joyceanthony-huff2914]

Yes. Jason was an idiot

[@messianichebrewshawnkawcak1550]

Absolutely agree, same happened to JFR Jr. pride and pressure to keep a schedule that was not reasonable for the conditions or experience. Having practiced ILS approaches in IMC on the flight gear flight simulator I can see how fast one can get tasks saturation and disoriented.

[@K1OIK]

Do you think anyone concerned is seeing YOUR condolences? Or are you just trying to brag you care?

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

I'm one of those men who's never too proud to ask for directions... But always ashamed of being late through causes of my own stupidity. Probably a good attitude to keep if I do eventually get my pilot's licence.

[@realjack88]

Maybe it is just me, I think I can hear Hover’s voice chocking and saw tears in his right eye at the end of this episode. I am deeply moved by his compassion for this pilot and his young family. God blesses all. Thank you for this episode about the dangerous hour zone of new pilots. May all new pilots learn from this tragedy.

[@KeokiDude]

Man, I could tell by your voice and the look of your eyes that you really were affected by telling us this tragic story. I felt the same way and am thankful that pilots like you are trying to help others from making tragic mistakes.

[@dhyde9207]

What could have been a pleasant 7 hour drive with the family turned into a horrible tragedy ending 5 precious lives. If every pilot doesn't learn the obvious lesson from this, nothing will ever teach it to them.

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

Flying commercial from SFO to Vegas is billed at 1hr40 mins. He should have done that and they would have landed in the heart of the city, no stress and perfectly safe.

[@PeterNGloor]

If there WERE decent passenger train services he could have taken a train and the kids would have had a pleasant time.

[@davidsine4390]

Or land at Bakersfield, rent a car and drive the rest of the way.

[@TheZX11]

One of my coworkers had three GA aircraft. He pointed out to me that they weren't good for vacation travel. GA flies in weather and weather then actually determines if you can get back from vacation on time. He said his planes could leave you delayed returning from vacation by a week or so if weather develops. I guess also leaving on vacation could be delayed by days.

[@TheErmin36]

You're probably right, but bad accidents happen on the road too. If he got into a situation he shouldn't have in the air, what kind of choices does he make when driving?

[@imaPangolin]

Ok dude. You keep getting better. …only 20 minutes left to live… is just chilling. If one pilot heeds this video and turns around it’s worth it.

[@arthurfoyt6727]

We've had these sayings for over 70 years in flying, especially things like 46 seconds VFR into IFR and you're done. HONESTLY after 50 years of flying myself I'm tired of people that ignore all the warnings and data and kill themselves. IFR, Ice, Rain, no training in this plane, low hours, complex aircraft, high altitude.... at this point I have zero sympathy.

[@dlgaboury]

@@arthurfoyt6727 I have sympathy for his family - such a tragedy ultimately caused by an inability to recognize and admit his own limitations. Makes the case for single-pilot CRM training.

[@arthurfoyt6727]

@@dlgabouryI see it was a murder-suicide. This guy was unhinged and took his family with him. So many limitations and zero cations on his part. This makes me so mad because it also make GA pilots look like id-10T's.

[@acmwarbirdsofcanada866]

As a ex-controller, and a pilot , this was really hard to watch. I hope that this video saves lives.

[@TheeAthis]

@13:58, brother, your eyes said it all. Made me tear up. RIP.

[@ep1cgam1ng31]

I was thinking the same thing. You could hear the tremble in his voice. It's a sad story for sure!

[@shannoncarlson6960]

There's nothing more sad than seeing parents lead their children to their deaths. Parents are supposed to do everything to protect them, yet this man didn't. Whether it was due to pressures of time, ego, embarrassment, skill, get-there-itis, etc...nothing was so important to make those risks. Believe me, his family would have accepted not going to the party or staying home for vacation.

[@g60force]

not only that he ruined the party for the others attending also especially the ones throwing the party, cuz they might feel a bit guilty and at the very least now have bad memories to that day!!

[@Lockbar]

JFK.Jr. repeat.

[@amorl4520]

Parent.

[@josephgiri2398]

A common thread in all these debriefings is male ego.

[@rstidman]

I think seeing Pied Pipers lead children to their deaths is sadder.

[@be_ready_for_life]

I could hear it in your voice at the end that this one was tough for you. So tragic. Thank you for your dedication to helping all of us learn to ask for help when we need it.

[@stevenstyles7602]

I noticed that as-well, and looked teary eyed.😢

[@ryoukosan11]

Yeah, seemed pretty tough. Reasonable considering the details.

[@SpectrumRob]

He definitely struck a nerve on this one. Hopefully it will teach someone not to fly over their head.

[@kevinseventeen3099]

I'm not a pilot and do not fly, but I value your channel. You're logical, reasonable, calm, and centered. Your breakdowns of the situations and logical analysis are relevant to all of us, pilots or otherwise, because they cut to the core of common, basic human failings we all share. There are life lessons here for all of us - especially this situation in which the pilot could possibly have avoided this tragedy by simply asking for help. Thank you so much for all your hard work!

[@metoon3092]

Hoover is visibly and understandably shaken reporting on this horrible tragedy. Thank You sir for you video's and all that you bring into the explaining of each.

[@BrettParryTheCulturalMentor]

Is it just me, or can I feel, see and here Hoover struggling to keep composure when talking about this family? That's what makes listening to him so special. Truly empathetic and trying to keep people educated not only about the joys of flying, but also the potential hazards of not knowing your limits. RIP to this beautiful family.

[@midgie1166]

I didn't notice it

[@evry1sfriend619]

@@midgie1166his voice does sound a bit shaky and his eyes do seem to hold some tears back around the 14 min mark. Hoover, thank you for the service you provide by making these videos. You’re not only a good pilot and content creator but I believe you’re a good person as well.

[@TheCaioKyleBraga]

Agreed

[@bryniehenry9]

yes you can clearly see his right eye more than left get watered up and then voice was getting shaky more and more it hit home for him and anyone watching

[@ianmcelhinney1530]

Yep. Hard to miss, bless him 😔

[@brianakelley123]

So sad. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone is still learning, never be ashamed to ask for help. Poor family. Thank you Hoover

[@o.s.racing]

I love that you shared this video with your human emotions left in. There is a really important lesson in this debrief that isn't just for pilots, which is the importance of not being afraid to ask for help, whether a lives are at risk, your a child going through exams or stress, an adult with mental health issues or any other situation. The simple question of "can someone help me with this" could save you and is always better than the mild embarrassment of admitting you are not sure

[@philo5096]

He never asked for help because of pride. His wife and kids were next to him and behind him, pride kills. Nobody in that plane had to die. This is so friggin senseless, he had so many strikes against him before taking off in San Jose. What a beautiful family, RIP to all.

[@maxhardover9772]

I'm now a retired airline pilot turned 737 instructor. Looking all the way back to when I first started flying, 1967, to my final retirement flight, most of the critical information and flying experience came from studying accident reports, both general aviation and part 135/121. Even as a senior 737 captain, I always studied airline accidents and incidents attempting to learn something new. I learned at a very young age that in aviation, it's much, much better to learn from other's mistakes, than charge off into the wild blue yonder half-baked and no exit strategy. BTW, I've done exactly what this guy did in a Piper Dakota with two passengers - at night - with no Instrument rating. When I realized I had just gone into solid IFR at 4,500 feet, I immediately implemented my exit strategy and performed a 180° standard rate turn on instruments and went to find a different route. You see, crashes like this one happen all the time. People just don't think ahead... period. They never ask themselves: "If I do go that way, will I be able to stay VFR? What if I can't? What should I do, WORST CASE? Am I equipped to handle this?" In this case I was. Even though I was not IFR rated, I kept up my instrument skills at every chance and had about 60 hours of actual and simulated instrument flying. I had also scored 92 on the instrument written exam. Within a few months I did pass my Instrument checkride. Serious flying is about weather flying. Weather flying is all about STAYING CURRENT. In other words, when you get IFR rated and the weather's down, plan a short cross country to keep your instrument scan, communication and navigation skills sharp. You owe it to yourself, your family and passengers.

[@josepha.r5839]

Bravo!

[@advorak8529]

Old pilots, and bold pilots. No old, bold pilots. Neil Armstrong was chosen as commander and LM pilot because he actually did not care if he’d be the first one landing on the moon or not.

[@user-qc7yf6bb7i]

This very emotive event clearly has had a profound effect and was very sympathetically relayed - thank you. Asking for help is never a sign of weakness.

[@tliebman4430]

I appreciate how difficult this story was for you. It was clear that this one was tough. Keep up the work teaching … it will save lives.

[@AFO3310]

I was a flight instructor for just under 2 years before moving on to the airlines and I absolutely hammered all of my private students to get their instrument rating not only to fly in the weather but to UNDERSTAND the weather as well. Sucks seeing these completely preventable accidents.

[@Croz89]

It does surprise me more private pilots don't get instrument ratings. I understand the time and cost, but it seems like it would not only make you a safer pilot but would also allow you a lot more flexibility in the case of inclement weather, you don't have to cancel your plans because it's cloudy. Perhaps this is just me as I live in a part of the world where IFR conditions are common, and planning cross country trips without IFR would be a roll of the dice.

[@robhoneycutt]

I think of a PPL + instrument rating more as an impetus to continually hone your piloting skills and a tool for very limited IMC conditions. What it isn’t is a license to go wandering into any kind of weather. I honestly think, in order to fly into any heavy IMC you need a high performance aircraft, with a high operational ceiling, and a lot of currency in the IFR system. Anything less puts your risk profile way out on the margins.

[@patrickwelch620]

Why would anyone fly without an instrument rating? I'm not a pilot. But I just can't wrap my head around it. Its not a question of if you hit weather but when. Any reasonable human being can understand this.

[@Croz89]

@@robhoneycutt I think if it's sufficient enough to cover the most common types of IMC weather, that's fine. Few private pilots will ever be able to afford to fly the kind of aircraft that have the performance ceilings to deal with more adverse conditions. But unless you live in a few unusual places such conditions are rare. Something like overcast clouds or (not torrential) rain.

[@robhoneycutt]

@@patrickwelch620 In the US, less than half (368k out of 809k) of active private pilots hold an instrument rating. It’s really not that difficult to stay clear of IMC conditions.

[@pcaviator687]

This is truly a heartbreaking tragedy that never should have happened had Jason been honest with himself as well as with ATC, and admitted that he was caught in a situation that he couldn't handle and asked for help. It's beyond sad that an entire family lost their lives due to Jason's actions. I watched this tragedy on another KZbinr's channel not long ago, but your debrief was much more in depth and informative. Obviously this tragedy has affected you on an emotional level as I could see that at the end of this video, I appreciate you bringing this debrief Hoover as I was wondering if you were going to cover it. Thank you.

[@pilot-debrief]

Anytime there are children involved, it makes the debrief more difficult for me. Thanks for your support.

[@AnthonyOMulligan-yv9cg]

Almost as if he didn't realise that everybody's lives were in his hands

[@AndrewTa530]

Pride is expensive

[@Jonathan.D]

​@@AndrewTa530You are 100% correct! I tell everyone to get their IR asap. Learning to use the instruments isn't that hard, and it makes all the difference in the world. The auto pilot is also easy to learn and it makes flying much more enjoyable. Manually flying an aircraft for even an hour is tiring. It's not like driving a car. There's so much to keep track of and the auto pilot takes a lot of that stress off.

[@EightiesTV]

Get real. Exactly what help was a controller going to give to a VFR pilot that flew into IMC? Surveillance vectors when he can't even hold the heading he's on? Is the controller going to talk him out of that graveyard spiral? He sealed everyone's fate when he penetrated IMC with KIC and nobody was gonna talk his way out of it from the ground.

[@VerySadPenguin]

This video popped up randomly on my feed. Not being a pilot or having any experience with flying I found it easy to understand. When I read about the crash in the paper it didn't ecplain anything other than, "plane crashed, family killed." This breakdown was clear and concise. Awesome job, awesome channel!

[@deceptivepoker]

I heard you choke up as I was choking up right around 13:30 and can see the glint in your eyes. Thank you for doing these videos. I fly my family and have about the same hours as this pilot so it hit me like a brick. We all think we won't make the same mistakes we see others make. I'm sure Jason thought the same and probably watched safety videos just like I do. That is what is so humbling and makes is so important for us not to judge people like Jason but to learn from them. "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards". Sometimes failing the test is fatal so only those left behind can learn the lesson afterwards. Thank you for these videos.

[@rElliot09]

I'm a retired Navy pilot and firmly believe you fly like you train. When you rarely train, or have possibly poor training, attempt IMC flying when not trained, this is the end result. So very sad 😢 This is a good analysis for HFACS.

[@coriscotupi]

Exactly. Every VFR-only pilot's mantra should be, _"if I get into IMC I'm going to kill myself and others."_ Non-negotiable. No excuses. Don't do it.

[@user-iu4wh1zs6t]

Training? That's not a commonly valued exercise. I don't know why. I'm guessing that flying for the deceased was just a faster way to travel at will. It couldn't have been an affordability issue for him.

[@JUNEWICK5087]

Can’t pull over in the air yes sir

[@rElliot09]

@@user-iu4wh1zs6t that's my point, as a Naval Aviator, we trained, and trained, and trained. Granted, I flew off aircraft carriers, did stuff GA doesn't do. But training made us proficient. It isn't something GA does, they tend to log time. But there is value in training, such as earning your instrument ticket. Hope that makes sense.

[@briancurtis3648]

Outside of the military, flight training costs money.

[@_Shadoh_]

How can you endanger your whole family, your kids!!, when you have that little experience flying?? I'll never understand people who act like this. SMH.

[@g60force]

Not just the inexperience... JUST CUZ THE LACK OF IT.... you could've much easier choose to abort and 180turn

[@ImaRandomFemale]

Delusional about his abilities and an ego t h a t would not allow him to ask for help

[@sarahalbers5555]

The family photo broke my 💜

[@johnnytactical3054]

Easy solution…don’t buy a plane

[@davewilliams5102]

It's called "EGO"

[@bellem.8329]

A friend of mine did basically the same thing. No IFR rating, bought a small plane for family trips and had very few hours. His first wife had died by suicide when their kids were toddlers. He remarried and was taking the family on vacation, Oklahoma to Colorado. He got stuck in the clouds and slammed into the side of a mountain. Killed all four of them instantly. He thought he was invincible. Unfortunately, he took his innocent second wife and his children to their death.

[@bradleygyhra421]

I feel for you Hover and thank you for the training. We appreciate you and my heart goes out to the family. It was the most important thing when I started to fly, I told my instructors “I am not trying to go to the airlines I am trying to fly the safest for my family and other families”

[@-yeme-]

Some people treat getting in a plane and taking off like getting in a car and driving.

[@DMBFREAKNLK]

40k people die a year in vehicle accidents. Which is worse, as far as lack of training, situational awareness, and responsibility to your passengers? A crashed aircraft just has a more dramatic imprint on the psyche, as it is a large object falling from the sky. Perspective.

[@michaelbailey8729]

Great point. As an instructor (lapsed) I would say to students your not nipping to the shops for a packet of fags, once your wheels leave the ground you are committed. Plan and dont be lazy. Some were and thats why I gave up. They will let you down and hurt you as well as themselves.

[@-yeme-]

@@DMBFREAKNLK far more people die in cars because more people travel in them more regularly. no matter how you cut the data, fatalities per km travelled or fatalities per hour spent travelling, private plane is many times more dangerous than driving, in contrast to commercial plane which is far safer. but my real point is that flying is a much more complex and demanding task than driving and, imo, too many people treat it way too casually. which is one reason why the stats prove its so much more risky.

[@amorl4520]

And most can't drive normal!

[@bagpusslxv4858]

@@-yeme-You hit the nail on the head there! After watching these videos it’s very unlikely I would ever get in a single engined aircraft especially with only one pilot. If you don’t like how someone is driving or the car feels a bit flaky you can ask the driver to pull over and get out. Try doing that at 10000 ft in the air😮

[@chrishan9138]

I can't imagine trying to take an IFR clearance mid-flight with no IFR rating whilst already behind the aircraft.

[@harrisoncaldwel2293]

Man, Hoover, hearing you in that last moments of the video cuts super deep. I know this really hit home and I just wanted to thank you for all the work you put into these videos to make the community a safer place. Thank you Sir.

[@redghost3170]

I used to jump out of airplanes in the Army, but I’m scared to death of flying. Love this channel.

[@jbsack]

THESE ARE NOT MISTAKES. THEY ARE TERRIBLE CHOICES. PERIOD.

[@seansoccer100]

Maybe they are both?

[@eriklarson9137]

@@seansoccer100 NO! Saying they are both is too complicated, and JB can't feel superior to them if it's both!

[@robertenglebright8257]

I believe they can be both. But "mistakes" is a little less judgemental than "TERRIBLE CHOICES. PERIOD" (and in all caps just in case somebody didn't get the point) Perhaps if he and his family had survived, he would have contemplated the mistakes and learned from them. Or maybe he would have continued making terrible choices. We will never know. What I know is that I was profoundly saddened by this. I'm sure there is great pain and loss for those who knew and loved the family.

[@EJWash57]

@@eriklarson9137 WTF...?

[@markoxford]

Sir, you passion for air safety is very much on display in this debrief. You are doing an amazing job of highlighting the dangers of poor planning, complacency and lack of proper training.

[@NancyZaidi]

There's that old saying that "pride goeth before a fall" and this case is a sad example of just that. He let his pride get the best of him and killed his whole family in the process. Just sad all around.

[@AString95]

My dad was a VFR pilot. He had many hours of IFR training but never certified. He flew a Cherokee 6. And he flew us down to Mexico dozens of times. I remember trips getting postponed and cancelled due to weather. I’m thankful my dad never got an ego and never risked our lives.

[@doctorfiber1]

I was a CFII for over 4 years. Not only did I have to deal with students that tried to kill me on a daily basis, but I had to deal with people that had more money than brains. Sad story indeed.

[@RetreadPhoto]

Yet doctors are known for augering in fairly routinely. Not the best attitude for a CFI. Maybe that’s why we have so many poorly trained pilots.

[@majorp7967]

Totally agree with you. I was CF II and ME II. Stopped flying recently, age reason.

[@ayushmalpeddi2793]

Did you press charges for attempted murder? 😂

[@mikings2]

I’ve heard my pilot friends call these “more money than brains club”

[@rallyden]

Bingo

[@halfbakedproductions7887]

Learning to fly seems a lot like being involved in horse racing - it suddenly becomes a compulsory rite of passage the moment you can afford to actually do it. I've known people with no interest in either, but as soon as they have the cash they go all in. Never understood that.

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

I am a marine Captain and we say "All it takes is money."

[@timteevin4517]

Bigshotitus.

[@Witzer0616]

I don’t understand how you want to hate on pilots, yet most people have outside hobbies that they spend a whole lot more money on than pilots. You know what a 45’ Yellow Fin or a Midnight Express goes for? Or what a Class A RV cost these days??? Y’all need to check yourselves and do better 😘

[@deardaughter]

I didn’t realize I’ve been waiting for the emotion with such reporting and analysis for so long. Thank you for that.

[@lukycharms9970]

I can clearly hear in your voice how emotionally affected you are by these stories. Thank you Hoover for covering these stories with respect and humility. Keep it up.

[@bubba4072]

These wrecks that involve families are always tough to hear about. 🙏

[@kendallevans4079]

While I agree with you, it still bothers me about the Dad's mind set. The family should be priority #1. For him to put them in danger, to me is very arrogant in that he thought he was competent enough to handle that flight at that stage in his experience.

[@ChrisBre1]

My Dad was a former military pilot and aeronautical engineer. Back in 1965 when I was 11 my Dad was the FBO of a small airport in New Jersey. I remember being there with him one day and him telling me that weather was the number one killer of pilots. Though I'm not a licensed pilot myself, that seems as true today as it did back then.

[@mrtbrocks5664]

Well, I don't think weather is the number one killer of pilots. The number one killer is the pilot, for whatever reasons, flying into weather he or she has no business doing so.

[@SaddleSC]

Plan Continuation Bias is one of the greatest psychological threats to any private pilot

[@cplaylist4710]

A heartbreaking story. As always, Hoover doesn't go the blame/shame route and keeps focus on learning what actions could be taken when you're in a bad situation.

[@billkinzler3773]

IFR 1000 hour pilot here. Love your channel-don’t want to be on it. I flew that route 2020 continuing on to FL after purchasing Cirrus SR22 in CA. Fortunately, brought my CFI, AA captain friend, but his flight to meet me in CA was delayed until late afternoon. I had preflighted and after our clearance he MADE ME enter every waypoint on the Garmin 430 to the first leg to KTUS through busy SoCAL approach. He said when you get there and they modify your route, you don’t want to be fumbling with the 430 for the first time. By the time we were finished with getting oriented with the systems, weather, clearances, it was very late in the afternoon and he said we are not flying today as we would arrive at KTUS after dark. True professional. We had no issues after that to Florida.

[@fivetriplezero8985]

My question is how did he not read his air speed before turning, and why did he turn left when ATC told him to correct to the right? I get how he turned left blind in the storm initially, kinda, it seems like he could at least read his heading, but after he did and it got worse, What could have possessed him to make such a high speed turn in the wrong direction?

[@Vejitasei]

@@fivetriplezero8985 We will never know, but suspect spatial disorientation. You can not tell your up/down or left/right; so you have to trust the instruments. This is something that requires training.

[@fivetriplezero8985]

@@Vejitasei That doesn't seem likely. Surely he knew which way he was pulling the yoke. If he was so disoriented by the storm outside that he couldn't tell what his hands were doing on the stick then he had far greater problems than just bad decision making. Just like his air speed, it is baffling that he couldn't know the direction he was turning relative to himself. Relative to the ground is another thing, but how could one be so confused as to pull back and left when they meant to pull flat right? And why didn't he at least check his air speed before hand? It seems like a panicked maneuver, maybe he already had lost control?

[@Vejitasei]

@fivetriplezero8985 If you’ve ever spun around in a circle or office chair several times in a row and suddenly stopped, you’ve experienced the disequilibrium and spatial disorientation that can happen when you’re in the clouds. Even though you are seeing information that says one thing your kinesthetic system is feeling something else. This causes a miscommunication between what you feel and what you perceive. Normal you’re able to overcome this when you spun around in circles by fixing on an item in the distance. But when you’re in IMC all you can see is white in front of you. You need to trust the instruments in the plane. What happens is you get this sensation that you might be in a dive, or the sensation that you might be turning left. The instruments will tell you what’s really going on , however, unless you’ve been trained to completely ignore your senses and 100% rely on the instruments, people follow that feeling. That causes them to make incorrect control inputs for their actual attitude of flight. You can have a sensation that you were falling backwards, turning left, or that you were a climb. So you attempt to make control inputs to correctthis feeling that you have. And because everything is white outside, nothing ever gets better. It can be exceedingly disorienting when you are in the cloud and have spatial disorientation. The only way to correct this is to 100% relying on the controls. There is an old article called “198 seconds to live“. The article is somewhat out of date and didn’t have modern equipment, but basically people that flew into the clouds basically ended up inverted, nose down altitude, and crash after about 198 seconds. Instrument flying is about learning to completely disregard your senses and only put control input based off what the instruments are telling you. It’s a learn skill that requires an additional rating in lots of training to be able to execute.

[@pikestance8851]

​@@fivetriplezero8985 My understanding is that you can get a relative direction from your inner ear and visual references. Without a visual reference, your inner ear can play tricks on you. Yes, you know up/down and left/right, but you cannot feel how much up or down or how much left or right you are going because you are given confusing signals from your inner ear. There was another video where the guy felt he was going down, but he had not realized that the plane angle was extreme, so when he pulled back out of the "dive" he actually increased the spiral.

[@DoudD]

Sad. As I watched the video my heart sank deeper and deeper. I've known some people who will never ask for help....but not with such tragic results. Pride cometh before the fall.

[@dicksonfranssen]

My worst fault, no help needed, that my wife finally rid me of. "It's okay honey, this freezer isn't that heavy". A month on the sofa fixed that problem.

[@Electra225]

Totally agree with your comment here. I felt the very same way. Very sad.

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

Yes, they rely on ego and luck and never just back off. It is not pride it is ego, learn the difference, please. Pride A feeling of joy and success that can lead to humility. Pride can be a feeling of satisfaction with one's own achievements or the achievements of others. It can also be a feeling of pride in one's abilities, appearance, wealth, or power. Pride can be a standard of approval that can motivate gratitude and appreciation. Ego A feeling of being superior to others, or self-admiration. Ego can be a self-image that can interfere with understanding and lead to hatred. Ego can also be a feeling of self-importance or arrogance. Too much ego can lead to arrogance.

[@DoudD]

@@superbmediacontentcreator OK. So that your apparent need to give instruction to others isn't wasted, how's this: "Ego cometh before the fall" ?

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

@@DoudD I gave no instructions to others just that if they use words they might want to use the appropriate words instead of the wrong words. You seem to be cast in the same mold as Jason, the guy who crashed in this video. So you might want to shut up and just take things in rather than open your mouth and confirm what others (obviously) think of you. Besides I am so out of your league that it's laughable.

[@dadgarage7966]

Just yesterday, I read a comment from another KZbin video from a pilot who's flight instructor told him (paraphrasing), don't be in such a hurry to die.

[@Nordestada]

Just heart breaking when a whole family ends up in a tragic situation like this one. I completely understand the wrenching emotions and your genuine desire to help others not to make the same mistakes. Thank you, Hoover.

[@booboolips6053]

I’m in my late 50’s and have been a passenger on a plane only 6 times because I absolutely had to. I have a fear of heights and flying but I appreciate content like this because it’s informative and educational. I think without my phobia I would have made a good pilot because to this day I operate my car with as much care as you discuss in your videos concerning aircraft. It’s an incredible privilege and responsibility to operate any type of equipment that has the ability to make people’s lives easier but can also take those lives away if not used properly.

[@Pewnhound112]

A friend of mine who works for PG&E a long time ago suggested I should be a lineman. I told him “absolutely not I’m terrified of heights and getting electrocuted” and he replied “that’s exactly why you’d make a good lineman”.

[@chuckcampbell3927]

🛫📖🛬 Well said ✈️👍

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

I see a lot of people who put themselves and others in danger by being so careful they become what we call "a hazard to navigation." So don't get in others way with what you think is being careful.

[@Electra225]

I just cannot imagine the fear and panic that this whole family was going through once they realized they were in a really bad situation. As I read the previous comments, it is very apparent that asking for help and putting your pride aside could have prevented all of this. Thank you, PD for your presentations here, they are always top notch!

[@Pedroism]

He wasn't ifr quilfy

[@Col-Hogan]

Hoover, thank you for doing a debrief on this incident. It’s a sad story that needed to be shared. You do an awesome service and I appreciate what you do.

[@dudeonbike800]

LOVE to see your compassion and humanity come through at the end, Hoover! Thank you.

[@defendyourclam1682]

Dang Hoover. This one really got you. Never seen you tear up before. Just know you save lives. RIP to this family.

[@dansanger5340]

It's always important to remember that while flying might be your passion, it might not be the passion of your friends and family, and it isn't fair to risk their lives for your hobby.

[@flywiseman]

Absolutely terrible. I cant imagine making all those mistakes with my family on board. We are all fallible but that was 100% stupidity. Keep up the wonderful work Hoover i know i learn something with every video

[@GrahamRiverProductio]

We hear the grief in your voice as you talk about this tragedy. As hard as it is to hear this video is a valuable reminder for all of us as aspiring pilots to fly smart and to ask for help. My thoughts and prayers for the family and friends. Ever forward. Cb

[@BG-su6gx]

Life is precious...Life is to be treasured...nothing should come before the safety of your family and you.

[@sammyspade123]

You made this one palpable and seeing the ripped apart pieces just drove home the message.

[@ARCollaborativesCoaching]

Thank you for your thorough and heartfelt debriefs Hoover! I salute you and your fine service!

[@monicamestas7566]

Hoover, You covered this story very respectfully. I could feel your emotion. Hopefully it helps the next pilot in a dangerous situation. Sincere condolences to all.

[@jamesgraham6122]

Two facts that need to be understood by low-time pilots with limited qualifications... Frame them and put it up on the wall: 1) Highly successful accomplishment in your chosen field does not automatically equate to being a good pilot... 2) A light aircraft with limited systems is NOT a 'Go anywhere at Anytime' mode of transport.

[@Coops777]

Nailed it. Little tiny single engined aircraft are no substitute for a passenger jet liner with multiple redundancies, purpose built for night, IMC and icing conditions. Oh, and two highly trained and experienced pilots.

[@salcrocker894]

Thank you for your humanity and sensitivity to this pilot and his family. I am humbled by your tearful connection to these “real” people! As a current and veteran 35 year Airline pilot and Cessna 421 Owner/Operator, I appreciate your professional content and always try to learn from others mistakes. It is so sad to see poor decision making and the tragic loss of life. We all have to guard against making bad decisions at all levels of experience and equipment types. Thank you. My heart goes out to the family and friends of this beautiful family. Please be safe everyone and stay prayed up!

[@dookone7279]

Really incredible video. I have been a huge fan for a few years now but the fact that you were tearing up over this loss of life makes me respect you so very much. Thanks for what you do. Your awesome.

[@jazzyj6122]

Hoover, you’re always fair and respectful on your debrief’s. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work. Unfortunately, we learn from others mistakes in this industry.

[@Hagop64]

Another grim reminder of why rules and certifications exist.

[@AFO3310]

As we say in the industry, the rules and regs are written in blood.

[@mrtbrocks5664]

I don't think any rule on the planet could have saved this family from perishing except one which doesn't exist, which is that, no pilot who lacks a current instrument rating and shall be permitted to depart an airport with passengers in a turbocharged complex aircraft when weather along the route of flight is forecast to be MVFR or worse, but I fear even such rule as that wouldn't have prevented this tragedy. The circumstances here are eerily similar to the JFK Jr. accident: Undertrained pilot who's not instrument rated in complex airplane flying passengers into instrument conditions and failing to ask for help or a way out (of IFR conditions) from ATC.

[@GuyFromSC]

Man Hoover, I can tell this one really got to you. It’s so unfortunate so see so many mistakes made all at once. Whether it makes you sad or just plain pissed off for his passengers, just know that we appreciate your passion and always love your Pilot Debriefs. 🙏🏼

[@chrispbacon550]

Just a few months ago Tennessee girl and her father crashed and died. I feel like the lesson of knowing YOUR airplane inside and out is imperative! Both of these crashes, possibly, could’ve been avoided if they knew how to use the auto pilot. Unless you are current in IMC conditions it is so extremely disorienting. Having the auto pilot keep you straight and level is a life saver.

[@jacobanderson9292]

she wasn't qualified to fly either.

[@laurenh894]

A few years ago, I considered getting my private pilot’s license. I did some online ground school, practiced on a simulator, and watched videos like these. Eventually, the videos led me to conclude that I was not cut out for flying. You really have to be on top of your game every time you fly - especially when you are responsible for other people’s lives. I tip my hat to you, Hoover, and all of the other diligent pilots out there. RIP to that sweet family.

[@mrtbrocks5664]

Don't let the foolish mistakes of others keep you from getting your pilot's license if that's your dream. Nothing in the books says you ever have to repeat the mistakes made here. Just your good judgment here shown in your comment tells me you have what it takes.

[@johncallan2001]

As a 100+ hour PPL I can’t emphasise enough how important these videos are for me to remind myself to remain vigilant and focused on the risks inherent in every flight. I’ve found it’s alarmingly easy to get complacent. I fly my kids around too and this tragedy struck home. Thanks for your excellent work

[@michaellewis1703]

I am not a pilot, but really like your content and always learn something from your videos. Whether it is something about the dynamics of flight or just human nature and the decisions we make and why we may make them. Thank you sir. This was a tragedy and my condolences to the family and friends.

[@accouswk]

Heartbreaking to see the family picture - Thanks for making these videos - they will undoubtedly save people form making the same mistakes.

[@ajconstantine3593]

I know more than two couples who DO NOT FLY together for their kids’ sakes. THIS?? This is just too much to bear. 🤦‍♂️ 270 measly hours & then risk your _entire family??_ 😞

[@mojogrip]

Man this one was truly heart breaking. All the babies onboard. Chainlink effect was truly defined in this accident. Condolences to the entire family.

[@kandylandfarms9898]

Classic story of GET THERE ITIS

[@robbentodd6824]

As a retired loadmaster, I always appreciated the rout study the pilots and nav’s would do prior to every flight.

[@flyingclint589]

what a sad and emotional situation. Thanks for sharing this Hoover and for being so real about this one! That's a tough one!

[@jimmydulin928]

Thanks for the debrief of a really sad and hard to understand tragedy. He seemed so calm as he continued into a flight that could not work.

[@pilot-debrief]

Perfect example of the Dunning-Kruger effect. His lack of knowledge and skill caused him to overestimate his own competence.

[@overlordfemto7523]

@@pilot-debriefso basically not sad at all and just a Darwin award

[@rebeccamoon5766]

​@@overlordfemto7523Don't be a jerk. Three children died in this crash.

[@CallidusVelox]

@@overlordfemto7523 Innocent people died. If you don't find that sad, then there is something missing or broken in you.

[@steveo601]

Arrogant prick. Was he a Doc? They’re called Dr killers for a reason. Ego and arrogance are a recipe for a flying disaster. We had a Doc here in N. Indiana, Dr Hatch who killed 2 wives and I believe 2/3 kids including himself in 2 crashes. First crash he was flying in bad weather and flew into power lines and killed his first wife and at least one child and was burned badly. Then he decided to keep flying and flew into bad weather in N Michigan. Tried to land at an airport and parked it into a garage short of the runway, killing himself and his second wife and left his son, in the back seat, with a head injury and brain damage. 🫤🫤🫤🫤🫤🫤🫣🫣🫣

[@coltonogden1513]

You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice that these losses hurt. Thank you for your lessons and encouraging us to think twice and make the right decisions

[@frame_by_frame]

Anyone who has flown his family would be as emotional as you were in the final minutes of your video. Thank you for making this tough brief, my hope is that other inexperience pilots benefit from it and keep them and their families safe.

[@danocuz]

Hoover, thank you for putting these together. You’re saving more lives than you can imagine. Keep up the great work.