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Craziest story ever... And what's even crazier is that I cannot even share this with my wife... or family as they will forever be paranoid every time I go out for a flight. I fly out of Nadeau Air Service Flight School in Trois-Rivieres (Three-Rivers), Quebec, and this has been a terribly tragic week.

Let me explain the turn of events, and then seek answers/suggestions from other flying enthusiasts on the Breitling Board. I'm devastated.

During this past week-end, I had been flying with my admired and competent flight instructor trying to catch-up on practicing various drills on a Cessna 172. We had some great flights and rehearsed a bunch of things such as spins, slow-flight, spirals, and a few other maneuvers. It was a lot of fun. He was telling me about some upcoming flights he was to do on a Piper Seneca as well as pick-up a newly acquired Lake out of Alberta.

On Monday, mid-afternoon, my instructor had set on a Piper Seneca with another student to work - on all things - emergency landings. During their flight, one of the engines caught fire, and they crash-landed. Miraculously, they both survived. They are still in critical condition, but thank God, they're alive. The plane was mangled and totaled. You can take a peek of what the plane looked like after the crash here:
http://www.lapresse.ca/le-nouvelliste/justice-et-faits-divers/201210/17/01-4584076-ecrasement-a-princeville-cest-miraculeux-quils-sen-soient-sortis.php

Here where the twisted story gets even worse....

Yesterday Nadeau Air Service, which had been contracted to pick-up a plane, A Lake LA 250 in Alberta was on their way back to Trois-Rivieres. For no apparent reason thus far reported, their plane crashed and 3 out of the 4 passengers, including the pilot (the owner of the flight school), his head mechanic, and the new owner of the aircraft perished. The small community of Trois-Rivieres is in shock. How can 2 planes go down in 2 days? OMG!!! Now, my instructor was to be one of the co-pilots for this return flight on the Lake from Alberta. This is just unbelievable. He crashes on Monday, yet Tuesday he was to be aboard the doomed Lake flight. See details here:
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/10/17/three-die-in-plane-crash-in-northwestern-ontario

For those of you who are pilots out there, who may have experienced something similar... how do you cope? I am just a pilot-in-training and I am questioning doing one of my favorite passions ever. You know the feeling that flying gives you? I mourn the loss of my friends and the terrible sorrow that this has brought the community.

When my wife comes back to town, and hears about these tragedies, she'll freak out if I continue to pursue my license.

I can use some advice. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

I bought a Navitimer World a while back as an inspiration to taking up flight school. People are dead today with whom we shared last week-end flying the sunny skies. Today, however, my Breitling is just a watch.

Thanks.

P.S. Sorry for the run-on and grammatically poor sentence structure. I'm in a daze.

I am very sorry for your instructor, and your community. I've been flying for over twenty years and have had two people I knew, personally, perish in aviation accidents. One was a former student, the other a work colleague.

I don't know quite what to say that would give you solace. Accidents like these are rare, but, sadly, they do happen.

One former co-worker of mine, who is now a Captain for United had several family members killed in the United crash in Souix City, Iowa many years ago. Despite that, he continued his flying career. Apart from quoting you statistics, which are meaningless at a time like this, all I can tell you is, if you truly love aviation, don't give up on it. Your quitting flying wouldn't change what happened, and I doubt anyone involved would have wanted that.

This is sad news, but give yourself some time. There is no need to make any decisions right now.

Not being cold hearted, accidents happen. That's just how the world works.

I have had friends, acquintances, co-workers, killed in aircraft accidents, car accidents, drownings, etc.., life goes on.

You had two aircraft accidents in two days, if it were cars instead of planes would we be having this conversation?

I knew a kid (17) that was just about cut in half by a prop. Spent 9 months recovering, numerous operations, gallons of blood, he was able to walk on stage and graduate with his High School class. Two months later, he was killed in a car accident. Stuff happens.

Do all you can with the limited time you have on the planet.

_________________
Breitling Navitimer: Black Dial
OMEGA Speedmaster Professional
Steinhart Nav.B-Chrono II
Elgin-Hamilton 37500 (Aircraft Clock)

If you love it you will carry on, ONLY fly at good clubs with good instructors, never be tempted by cheaper aircraft.

Become hyper critical of your own safety and the planes you use, with a healthy dose of common sense. Learn some emergency drills, i was a PPL/CPL instructor for years. There are clubs and aircraft i simply would not have anything to do with.

Seriously respect aerobatic work and bad weather. Accidents do happen, 2 clubs i know have lost 4 people in the last 18 months, truly tragic, one was a CFI. Do as much as you can, to make yourself as competently safe as you can. Then go off and enjoy it.

I think a fear of flying to some degree affects many people. I am not a pilot, but fly as a passenger for business and vacations. I just say a prayer and remember that I am in the hands of God when I am flying. My trust is in Him, and I try not to dwell or think about what may go wrong or happen. The Pastor of my first church had a saying, "Nothing catches God by surprise, and he has already made provision." I agree with the comment above, that as unfortunate as these two accidents have been, I doubt anyone involved would want you or anyone else to give up flying over this. We have to believe that they went doing something they loved. My prayers are with you and all affected by this tragic event.

I can understand the feeling. After our work chopper crashed from altitude in 2007 (thankfully all staff survived with only minimal injuries) it took a lot of soul searching for staff to get back into flying again for work. Not surprisingly a few staff decided they'd had enough of flying.