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FAASTeam Notice
Type: General Information
Notice Date: Friday, December 12, 2014
Notice Number: NOTC5760
“That Others May Live” The horrifying tale of an inadvertent encounter with IMC.
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What kind of pilot flies a VFR equipped helicopter into IMC? Is it due to inexperience, lack of discipline, or lack of integrity? Well, who would even allow such kinds of pilots to fly expensive helicopters? It just does not happen. However, are there situations when operational pressure is high, the conditions are tight and changing, when a true professional is required to make an instant decision? A decision that perhaps later in the quiet of the office his peers judge to be less than the best? Hear directly from a highly experienced, highly professional pilot who was involved in a horrifying inadvertent encounter with IMC during an EMS mission.

In the video, "That Others May Live", Denver Pletcher offers himself up as an example of a pilot who encountered IMC while on a mission to save a life. The video takes viewers through the professional decision making that lead to the encounter, and then the hair-raising event. This story had a good outcome. Often this is not the case.

This story is of benefit to all pilots, but it is of particular benefit to high time, high integrity, highly professional pilots. There are some mistakes reserved  for the most expert!

Follow this link to view the video:
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMxuO77mdQo

For questions concerning this notice contact: Steve Sparks (Mailto:Steven.Sparks@faa.gov , or phone (614)-546-5771)