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Seawind Saga: Pilot who crashed in Lake Michigan had 7 crashes in 7 days
Dennis Collier, a licensed Traverse City pilot, paid $110,000 for the 2010 Seawind on a Saturday, ended up in the drink a week later, and on the way crashed — by his own account — seven times, in seven days in four states. (www.record-eagle.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Did he think this was the old MS Flight Simulator, Crash... Splash... respawn and Meigs and do it again!
Nearly terminal case of get-there-itis.
Persistence in aviation is often not a virtue.
Persistence in aviation is often not a virtue.
When he got to California and first looked over the plane, he should have walked away and got on another commercial flight back home. At worst, he might have lost his $4,000 deposit, but he would not have risked his own life, the plane and possibly the lives of others on the ground.
I mentioned this to the wife. She had a friend in Michigan, decades ago, who was married to a guy who was working towards his IFR rating. He was having 'some difficulties'.
He crashed one plane during his flight school. He crashed another one during his solo. In the same month, he crashed his car, her car, and a rental. None were ruled his fault, but she divorced him anyway just because the whole cost of the rentals, and deductibles were HUGE! He ended up marrying a few months after the divorce was final, and still crashed another plane, and rolled a car. Like, WOW!!! I heard he got his shingle, and was flying IFR in a plane his new wife bought. His ex, the wife's friend, just got tired of worrying about him, and having to help pay for the mess he created. I couldn't imagine that much 'bad luck', and not have it be found to be a serious disease, or drugs. Yikes...
Bad luck, or stupid?
He crashed one plane during his flight school. He crashed another one during his solo. In the same month, he crashed his car, her car, and a rental. None were ruled his fault, but she divorced him anyway just because the whole cost of the rentals, and deductibles were HUGE! He ended up marrying a few months after the divorce was final, and still crashed another plane, and rolled a car. Like, WOW!!! I heard he got his shingle, and was flying IFR in a plane his new wife bought. His ex, the wife's friend, just got tired of worrying about him, and having to help pay for the mess he created. I couldn't imagine that much 'bad luck', and not have it be found to be a serious disease, or drugs. Yikes...
Bad luck, or stupid?
Probably a combination of both.
I was just so surprised that with a history like he had, any flight school would allow him to touch any of their planes. I thought it was a great idea that her friend divorced him. He had a huge black cloud over him for some reason, and, wow... It would be cheaper to just say Bye Bye...
A sign in 10' tall letters pointing to him -Here is STUPID.
No cheese left.