A friend of mine killed himself in a small Glasair some years back. He landed on a short gravel strip at Woodland, Washington. He rolled out to the end of the runway and swung the tail around and took off downwind on a short runway. Apparently he tried to pull the aircraft off before it was ready to fly, lost control and crashed into the trees beside the runway. The resulting fire was so intense, they had to identify him through dental records.
Piloting 101: You take off and land INTO THE WIND, especially on a short runway. If he had just taxied back to the other end of the runway to take off, he might still be here. It would have taken a couple of minutes more time to do the right thing.
The laws of physics apply and gravity is relentless.
Density altitude is a deadly killer. High altitude and hot temperatures greatly reduce lift over the wings. Truckee is high and gets quite hot in summer. Aircraft do not climb as well or respond as crisply in the thinner air caused by these conditions.
“The laws of physics apply and gravity is relentless.”
I am still grateful that gravity is the “weak force.”
I would hate to be at the mercy of what holds atoms together.