Page 18 - July24

FEATURE
Is an NTSB Defined “Accident” Covered?
by Kyle White
It’s a beautiful day to fly “CAVU” over the desert Southwest. As a diligent pilot, you keep your eye on the map for the nearest airport should there be an emergency. You glance out the side window to take in the beauty of the Grand Canyon when suddenly you hear a “BANG” and a rush of air. Almost instantly, your headset is ripped off, your sunglasses disappear, and the reverberation in the cockpit is like that of your car with the sunroof open on the highway but a hundred times more intense.
Before you can even begin to process what has just happened, your training kicks in. You reach for the oxygen mask as other equipment and loose items continue to fly out. You note the autopilot has kicked
off, which isn’t a problem because it’s time to hand fly down to a breathable altitude and head to the nearest airport. Trying to maneuver an airplane to “get down” and “slow down” at the same time can be a difficult task
16 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
JULY 2024