| SAFETY PILOT LANDMARK ACCIDENT | Night operations in the mountains have considerable risk with little margin BY BRUCE LANDSBERG MANY OF US SWEAT INSTRUMENT approaches, but departures can be every bit as risky. Sometimes the warnings are subtle and lie buried in the approach chart booklet. Sometimes technology can only aid, but not replace, basic skill. Procedures need to be verified and the aircraft must be configured before taking the runway. While the facts in this accident are straightforward, there were many more links in the accident chain than might be obvious at first. What could go wrong, indeed? ILLUSTRATION BY SARAH HANSON 66 | AOPA PILOT March 2014