To anyone interested there is some interesting articles in USA TODAY about GA safety. It talks of helicopter fuel tanks exploding after hard landings, PA caberator defects and cessna 172 pilot seat racks failing causing accidents. Seems aircraft like car manufacters some times decide it's cheeper to pay for fatalities then recalls. Interesting read.

Here is the USA Today article.

 

The AOPA, however, doesn't agree with Mr. Frank's story. Here's the AOPA release.

That article reads much more like a sensational hit piece intended to pump up USA Today's bottom line than a serious attempt to inform the public. Even if the aircraft and equipment producers were all heartless and unconcerned with the health and welfare of those using their products, they are businessmen. It's bad for business when you kill off your customers.

 

Just because you can get a jury to award damages does not mean the aircraft design was actually at fault. The lawyers always go after the deep pockets. The grieving widow or injured survivor is always a sympathetic figure.

 

I worked for years in GA maintenance and a large part of our work was complying with Airworthiness Directives and Service Bulletins to correct identified defects in aircraft and equipment.