http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-chesapeake-plane-crash-20111029,0,4955538,print.story

or

http://bsun.md/sg8vd8

So sad. From the article:

"Back at the airstrip, another pilot was getting into a plane and wearing a yellow inflatable life preserver with a light attached to it.

"I thought it looked cute," recalled Lanny, who was flying without life preservers; he did not think the width of the bay demanded it.

If I could invent a "stylish" PFD, I wonder how many lives I could save.

Sad indeed. He wouldn't fly his military aircraft without proper equipment, why his personal one?

I have a stylish PFD/survival vest -- Modular Aircrew Vest. The attached pouches carry a couple flashlights, chemical lights, a marine hand-held VHF radio, a PLB and other good gear. Most importantly though, it will keep you breathing air.

IMO the new Switlik X-Back is plenty stylish and is supposedly very comfortable.

Even something as small as a signal mirror might have made a difference.

RIP, Mary.

HJ

Another sad case that may have had a positive out had the minimum responsible level of gear been carried. RIP, Mary. I feel terrible for the son and the woman who helped maintain the airplane.

Harrowing account. I spent a lot of time on the Bay this year - in boats. Gives me the heebie-jeebies to think about trying to swim that far, injured, after a plane crash.

With or without a life jacket.

No lifejackets or signalling and flying over water? What a boneheaded pilot !

RIP Mary.

Not really, just another pilot suffering from itcan'thappentome-itis. This is a very common affliction in aviation. Over the years I have lost enough friends that I realized it can happen. The vest I have far exceeds FAA requirements for that specific aircraft.

When I fly, most flights are over water. Any flight over water can result in an unplanned water entry. That's just the way it is. Stuff happens and some stuff is outside the aircrew's sphere of influence/control.

I partly agree, Rus. Some stuff was out of his control? Yes. All? No. He thought she could swim that far? In ideal conditions and perfect health, nevermind after an accident? Maybe, but wearing lifejackets or not flying over water is clearly something that's within the influence of the flight crew.

I'm not trying to bash him. He's going to have to live with that misjudgement.

Maybe "bonheaded"ness isn't the same as "itcan'thappentome-itis" but "They", who keep making these life endangering decisions, frustrate me. (Or non-decisions, as the case may be.)

Out of curiosity, do pilots - Military or civil - have to learn any survival skills to get/maintain their licences?