I am not partial to GA aircraft because of their inherent limitations. Thank you for disparaging my field of interest.
Usually it is a single engine (piston) with no TAI (thermal anti ice) and no cabin pressurization, oxygen if there is limited.
So don't fly in icing conditions, and don't fly above 12,500 feet.
So if you get into bad weather you can rarely fly above it or around it and if there are mountains etc you might not be able to fly below it either.
So land, or turn around.
Criticisims like this are like saying you'd never go on a private boat because it can't handle hurricanes, has no roof to keep out rain, no heater or air conditioning, and not enough range to cross the atlantic. You don't *use* a private boat in those conditions, just like you don't fly a private aircraft in conditions it's not meant to be in.
Crossfield possibly broke that rule in flying into a thunderstorm. Which would take out many large aircraft too, if they fly into the severe areas. Note the L-1011 that crashed in the microburst at DFW several years ago.
Stuff happens. He flew constantly until he was 84 before getting into trouble he couldn't or didn't get out of.
You pick a funny thread to jump into and disparage flying in aircraft that many of us own.
"You pick a funny thread to jump into and disparage flying in aircraft that many of us own."
Me thinks some don't quite "get it" about flyers.
"The airplane is just a bunch of sticks and wires and cloth, a tool for learning about the sky and about what kind of person I am, when I fly. An airplane stand for freedom, for joy, for the power to understand, and to demonstrate that understanding. Those things aren't destructible." -Richard Bach 'Nothing by Chance' 1963
http://www.onesixright.com/video/aerials.html
I talked about the inherent limitations to that type of aircraft. Thats just how it is, not any sort personal disparaging.
Sometimes weather can change (and defy weather predictions) more swiftly than a low slow and small fuel load airplane can cope with, no matter who the pilot is.
I will wait for the NTSB or the FAA to make a ruling on this one.
Your sailing example is a good one. I used to single hand sail a 26' boat on SFO Bay. I went out into the ocean several times, also competed in the Farralon Island races there.
So yes I know how quickly weather can change and you might not get out of it in time.
But just so it does not get lost, here is a repeat of an earlier post of mine on this thread.
Salute to American patriot and legend Scott Crossfield
Wolf