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To deny responsibility.
An experienced cropduster I once knew, and I’m going to give the phoney name of Jack, lost control of his aeroplane on takeoff. He ran off the airstrip and crashed.
It was sometime later I got to chat with him and of course I asked how this had happened. He told me he had never being able to figure it out and also mentioned the government aviation authority couldn’t figure it out either.
A bloke on that airfield pointed out to me that the aeroplane was a dual seater Piper Pawnee. A few of these aeroplanes had been modified to dual for the purpose of training cropdusters. It made for a very cramped cabin for two people. In addition, the pedals were small and close together. There was not a great deal of room for four feet.
What had happened was this. Jack was the sole pilot and he had his left foot planted on the left pedal, just where it should be. Pilot sits on the left in all dual controlled aeroplanes. But Jacks right foot was also planted on left pedal of the second pilots controls, who sits on the right . Understand? Jack had each foot on a left pedal and the more he endeavoured to correct directional control the more it headed left. He was unintentionally aggravating the situation.
This situation is easy to understand and I am told it became mandatory to insert a petition between the left and right pilots set of pedals and thus prevent similar accident happening again.
The first picture is of a standard Piper Pawnee and the second is the cab of the modified by widening aeroplane. Notice how cramped the pedals are. These pictures came from the internet. I have never seen one with the V strut as the picture depicts. I guess that would keep the correct feet on the correct pedals as well.
Why couldn’t he accept he made an error? I guess he could accept it but didn't want to admit error to another pilot. Silly. The accident was unfortunate but not to concede error was foolish. We all learn by reviewing the reason for accidents.