And the mystery surrounding the Alaska Airlines accident is more than my ordered pilot mind is comfortable accommodating. As pilots, we want to solve mysteries, explain the unexplained, take charge, and convince ourselves that those things would never happen to us. We might also promise that we would never do something stupid, though many of us have gotten close enough to stupid to smell it. If there's one thing that can be gathered from the recent press reports, it's that there is still a real need for good airmanship and sound headwork when things turn ugly. Perhaps our admirable safety record has made us forget that the nut holding the little wheel up front in the wheelhouse does indeed make a difference when things go south.
Airmanship requires at least good initial training, currency, and constant recurrent training.
The airlines learned this years ago, often the hard way when a pilot did something that shortened the lives of all aboard. When things go wrong in the air we need the very best minds and hands that money can train. It's amazing that we don't have more mechanical failures like we've had lately. But don't let that complacency lull you into dropping your guard. Certainly, with training.