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"ANDRE BAUER'S NEGLIGENCE LEADS TO NEAR FATAL AIR CRASH!"
The following tripe appeared in the Orangeburg Times & Democrat on October 24, 2009:
http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2009/10/24/opinion/letters/doc4ae2521fd6150811708606.txt#blogcomments
"Bauer's skill saved lives in plane
By JOHN LEONHARDT SR.
"It took three years before a federal court ruling officially confirmed what I knew to be the absolute truth on Tuesday afternoon, May 23, 2006, in Blacksburg: There was something wrong with the plane that crashed, injuring Lt. Governor Andre Bauer and me.
"The June 11, 2009, court ruling concluded that the wrong parts were put into the engine . . .
"That was the finding in the civil penalty case brought by the Federal Aviation Administration against an aircraft engine company that had overhauled the engine weeks before the plane crash . . .
"The fact that I am here to write this tells me Andre made the right decision. His sharp instinct, quick thinking and piloting skills saved our lives."
Andre Bauer saved lives?
You've got to be kidding, Mr. Leonhardt!
You make him sound like a hero!
A better title would be: "ANDRE BAUER'S NEGLIGENCE LEADS TO NEAR FATAL AIR CRASH!"
There may have been something wrong with the plane--which is all that judgement says--but that is NOT what caused the crash and does not clear Bauer of extreme negligence and apparent incompetence as a pilot. You conveniently left out and did not even bother to bring up the more relevant facts and findings in the investigation of the crash:
The following is from: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=ATL06LA083&rpt=fa
"Federal Air Regulation (FAR) 91.7 Civil Aircraft Airworthiness (A) states. " No person may operate a civil aircraft unless it is in an airworthy condition. (B) The pilot in command of a civil aircraft is responsible for determining whether that aircraft is in condition for safe flight. The pilot in command shall discontinue the flight when unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur.
"The runway is 1,383 feet long...The distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle [the wires & trees the plane collided with] would...be 1,560 feet."
THE RUNWAY WASN'T EVEN LONG ENOUGH FOR HIS PLANE TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLES AT THE END!
Andre Bauer didn't bother to discover that critical fact by investigating and doing the rudimentary calculations based upon information easily available. He did not do what a reasonable and prudent pilot would have normally done in a situation when a pilot is taking off from an unfamiliar runway for the first time. Bauer made what is essentially a life and death decision by being ignorant of or by carelessly disregarding the proper precautions necessary to safely take off from the airport in Blacksburg.
No doubt Andre thought that the fact that he is soooo cool and important would compensate for a short runway!
The following findings are from:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/GenPDF.asp?id=ATL06LA083&rpt=fi
"Findings
1. AIRSPEED - INADEQUATE
2. REASON FOR OCCURRENCE UNDETERMINED
3. (C) ABORTED TAKEOFF - NOT PERFORMED - PILOT IN COMMAND
"The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff after the airplane failed to achieve adequate airspeed on the takeoff roll for undetermined
reasons. This resulted in an abrupt pull up, inadvertent stall, and in flight collision with wires, trees and the ground."
With all due respect, Mr. Leonhardt, I understand your desire to cover for your buddy but the facts are obvious and indisputable in this case.
If we're looking for indications of common sense and good judgement in a candidate for governor, we obviously need to look elsewhere after just this one incident. And that is not counting the other public incidents wherein he has displayed what must be a characteristic arrogance and carelessness. These are definite flaws in his character and personality and NOT what a reasonable, prudent voter should want in a governor for South Carolina.
wtc
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