The fact that it's legal does not, however, automatically make this a good idea. In the Youtube video, you see an absolute beginner make a complete hash of her first solo flight - which was her first flight of any kind at all, training being unnecessary under Part 103... Astonishing she survived, but she did a noble job of injuring herself and terminating the aeroplane.

It's a good reversal of the usual statistics about boys being more accident prone than girls, and the young more than the old. Her teenage son behaves sensibly throughout! Dad deserves censure for letting Mum do anything this stupid in the first place. Mum remains an At Risk Survivor!

Submitted on 01/24/2011

Submitted by: Charles Read
Reference: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjrxfrr7oE8

Copyright © 2011 DarwinAwards.com

Candi said:
Definitely Toss: Not Amusing
Sorry, Charles, but I don't find the fact that her son was in danger because of her idiocy at all funny. The other moderators may choose to let this through. Thanks anyway, and submit again!

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
It doesn't sound to me like the son was in any danger at all. The woman was apparently alone in the airplane. I Googled her name (mentioned on Youtube) and found the following articles. What sealed it for me is that the woman wanted her non-lawyer husband to represent her in court for the misdemeanors she faced: http://www.eagletribune.com/newhampshire/x1650945080/Witnesses-watch-plane-stall-then-crash and http://www.eagletribune.com/newhampshire/x1650953206/Pilot-in-Windham-crash-wants-her-plane-back

James said:
Definitely Keep: Honorable Mention
For the record, she was in the plane alone. having said that, I am utterly dumbfounded by the multi-layered stupidity here. Usually, 12-13 flights with an instructor are required BEFORE a solo. No dice there. Secondly, the runway was a sheet of ice (strike two). Finally, she took off WITH the wind instead of against it (basic aerodynamics here), thus losing a good measure of control. As for what caused her to stall? Who knows, but ultralight aircraft are, as a rule, non-aerobatic. Whatever the case, she crashed, and now she's all bent out of shape because she's got to tap-dance before a judge! And with her (enabler) husband representing her, she's sure to lose there as well! Thanks!

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