Great safety article in AOPA Pilot

In the May issue of AOPA Pilot the John Sheehan writes an excellent article[http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2003/turbine0305.html>(link](http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2003/turbine0305.html>(link) on the [findings of the Approach and Landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) Task Force. Although aimed at turbine pilots, it largely is applicable to our Technically Advanced Aircraft.

I particularly liked the ALAR Tool Kit ](http://www.flightsafety.org/cfit5.html)Approach and Landing Risk Assessment Tool for scoring the risk of a particular plan. It lists issues to consider and rates them 1 to 3 cautions. Using that tool on my worst landing ever, I find I went into a situation with over 30 caution points! (Night, non-precision approach, untowered field, unfamiliar airport, low time-in-type, icy runway, no VASI/PAPI, fatigue (8 hours flying at 8000’ cabin altitude), flaps inoperative, … the only thing I did right was have a CFI in the right seat who saved the landing). Using this tool, I can see I could have assessed the situation and chosen to divert to a towered field with a precision approach. That would have established conditions for a more successful outcome.

-Curt