Pilot Training Didn't Prepare Me To Handle This Situation 

dont doubt yourself. the fact that you ran TOWARD a burning plane is all we need to know. youre a good man, mr manley.

The ultimate reminder to fly safe. You have my total sympathy.

"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life." - Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Survivor's guilt mate, I am a former combat veteran, and I spiral the drain often due to very similar feelings. I had one of our own guys bleeding out on a rooftop, we couldn't get to him because of the intense gunfight we were in. I doubt he would have lived even if I got up there due to where his wound was, but it still is hard to shake. You did all you could do, and that is more than what most people would ever do. Take solace in that, and don't hesitate to talk to someone.

Former critical care and pre-hospital doctor here. Thanks for this, Scott. I feel like you’ve done exactly the right thing. This feels like a “hot debrief”, which is really important in these situations. In my (not minimal) experience of lethal accidents, I listen to what you’ve said and would like to make a couple of comments: 1.) What you did was incredibly brave, regardless of outcome. There are a great many people that wouldn’t approaching a burning aircraft in nothing but a T shirt. 2.) You MUST NOT beat yourself up over this. Sensible things you can do that help, like having fire protection tools near entrances for example (no idea, not a pilot) may be something productive you can take from this experience. 3.) Professional help makes a huge difference here. When on rotation, we had mandatory counselling to deal with this level of trauma, and it makes a huge difference. 4.) Sometimes..s**t happens and there’s nothing you can do. The pilot may have had a medical emergency that caused this, there’s a tonne of possibilities. 5.) The wherewithal to identify the risk to other hangars, and check them, showed phenomenal situational awareness in a very high pressure situation. Kudos. RIP to the pilot, and as a very long time viewer, my best wishes to you, his friends and family, and everyone else involved.

As a former law enforcement officer and 22-year military veteran, I had to deal with a lot of really ugly stuff. One of the worst was a midair between a small aircraft and a KC135 which resulted in 6 fatalities. The ‘135 was crewed by 4 of my friends. The only way to get through those events is to talk about them until you no longer need to talk about them, so you talk as long as you need to, Scott. You acted correctly, did what you could, and suffered trauma in the process. You’ve nothing to apologize for and, in fact, deserve recognition for attempting to help and for calling EMS.

I’ve been a therapist my whole life. You’re doing all the right things…debriefing the situation. I’m glad you continually reassure yourself that you did everything you could and validate your feelings without dwelling. Sorry to hear that you witnessed this. Take care of yourself and keep a clear head..

Volunteer firefighter here. Hardest lesson to learn but also one of the most common ones: you are always late because the alarm goes off after it happend and sometimes even the Alarm is already too late. You are doing good Scott! Talking about it and using your way of expressing using the Video creation process is the best thing to do in my experiance. Thoughts about quitting flying are normal. But did you ever hear about a firefighter that stoppt driving a car or living in a house because of something He saw during a call? Take your time, and do as you said, ask your instructor for another lesson. The fun will be coming back and you did know before you for your licence: Planes can crash. Good training can avoide that.

When I was in college, I watched a Kitfox have an engine failure immediately after liftoff, and the pilot attempted "the impossible turn" to get back to the runway he'd just taken off from. The name of than maneuver is unfortunately well deserved. He didn't have enough energy to make the turn, and the plane stalled and fell about 100' more or less straight down. I can still very clearly hear the sound of it years later; engine noise followed by deafening silence, an old guy at the gas pumps shouting "NO!" as the pilot attempted the turn, and then a visceral *thump.* It was only a few hundred feet away, and I was the first person to reach the plane. The wing spars had snapped from the impact, so me and another guy worked to tear the wings free so we could get to the pilot. He was breathing, but his head was slumped and blood was coming out of his ears and nose. I switched off the fuel to reduce the likelihood of a fire, and I stabilized his head to protect his spine and keep his airway open while some other folks tore the frame apart further so the EMTs would be able to get him out. His egs were trapped under the mangled instrument panel and bent where no joints should have been; his eyes were open, staring at nothing. We didn't immediately realize there was a passenger; he'd been completely covered by the remains of his seat and pieces of the left wing structure. He wasn't breathing. I held the pilot's head steady, and a few other folks worked to yank the passenger out of the wreckage to start CPR. His legs were broken so badly it was like they didn't have bones in them, and his ribs didn't seem to resist at all when the old guy from the gas pump (who apparently knew both the pilot and the man he was working on, tragically) stared doing chest compressions. I remember his jaw (which was also clearly broken) working open and closed in an uncanny, mechanical way, his head lolling to one side, his eyes half closed... he didn't make it. The pilot apparently did though. Someone sent me a news article a few months later that he'd woken up from his coma. He had lifechanging injuries, but he lived. The thing that still sticks with me today wasn't washing a stranger's blood off of my hands and wondering if he was still alive, or watching the firefighters toss the passenger's lifeless body out of the way like a sack of potatoes; the thing I find myself thinking about is the second or two when I hesitated. I was terrified, not of being hurt or not knowing what to do, but of seeing what I knew I was about to see. I had seen the impact, *felt* the impact, and I knew that if I ran up there I was going to see something I could never unsee. So I stood there for a fraction of a moment, my mouth tasting like copper and my bowels turning to water, frozen with fear. Realistically, the hesitation made no difference whatsoever; it meant I got to the plane maybe a second or two later than I could have. I did everything I could have done. So did you. Nothing we could have done differently would have changed a damn thing. But that doesn't mean you aren't going to think about it for years and wonder if you could have done more. You have my sympathies. Just remember that everything you could have done, you did.

the first rule of disaster response is don't make yourself another victim. If you are unsure about how to help someone without yourself getting hurt gravely, it is your imperative to not put more people at risk by making yourself in need of rescue too. You did alright Scott, and its heartbreaking to see someone I've watched over half my life be troubled like this. Thank you for everything you do. You have had an outsized impact on my life.

Retired FF/EMS. Responded to many calls involving gasoline or small plane crashes. You did everything possible. AV gas is a bitch. Once it's on fire it is generally much too late for whovere was sitting next to it. The moment you saw the thick black smoke it was already over. You did the best things possible you checked just in case. You double checked the area to alert others of the danger. And then you took a good look around and presented a clear useable report on what had happened to the authorities. Well done. Now make sure you talk it out with your wife, friends, fellow pilots whoever.

I was a chopper pilot in the French Navy. During an exercise, I lot one of my best friends when we were flying at very low altitude because he got hit by a huge wave while we were trying to fly under the radars (this was the actual exercise we had to do : try to approach a ship without being seen at all). I watched it live and I couldn't do anything to change it because my helicopter had no equipement for rescue at sea, it was just the naval and military version of a "normal" Dolphin (we call it the Panther). You have my total sympathy, Scott. And we're here to support you.

Scott totally understandable. I tried to save a man who had crashed in a pickup truck. He was pinned down and the truck was on fire and gasoline was squirting out of the truck into his backside and his shirt burned off in my hands as I tried to pull him free I bent down and tried to lift him up not knowing he was pinned . He burned to death. For months I felt like a failure because I couldn’t save him. His fiancee was there and we could do nothing. The rear tire exploded and threw gasoline everywhere and started a fire . As I struggled to save him fuel was going around me. You did the best you could brother. God bless your heart

Take care of yourself first Scott, we'll still be here afterwards! Best of luck!

Scott, I stopped flying after 2 accidents. One involved Scott Crossfield the other about 2 weeks prior was a horrible accident in which my instructor died. My instructor had an ATP rating with over 32,000 hours and over 12,000 time in type. Those two incidents taught me that even the BEST pilots cannot control everything.

As a fellow pilot, and an aviator for 23 years I feel for you Scott. As a pilot, on a long enough timeline, you'll witness a crash or know someone who is in a crash. Mourn. Take care of yourself. Then study the lessons learned, get back in the seat, and be a better pilot for it. That's what we do to honor our fellow aviators who have made the final one to a full stop: learn and be better. Someone once told me that everyone starts aviation with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The goal is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck. *raises glass* Here's a toast!

Scott, you would have had almost no chance trying to pull the plane out of the hanger by the tail. Even if the wheels were still extended, the wings jammed by the hangar wall would have prevented pulling it free. You know how hard it is to manually move a plane when everything is rolling free and clear, so trying to manually move one jammed through a hangar wall... it just isn't possible. RIP to the pilot and condolences to his family.

Scott, your instincts were perfect. As a physician and CERT member, training and situational awareness is key. First rule is to judge when unsafe to help. This comes from the 1964 Mexico City quake where 10K died. 10% of deaths were good samaritans. 90% of rescues were good samaritans. It’s the basis for FEMA CERT training. First rule is don’t be an unnecessary victim. You did the right thing. I’m my medical career I had a few cases I couldn’t get off my mind just like you. Talk about it with someone you trust. We are our own worst critics. Makes it hard but also makes us better. Well done.

I was a witness to a fiery car crash late one night. I had about 10 years of firefighting experience at the time. There was nothing I could have done, just as there was nothing you could have done. You put yourself in harms way to try to help which makes you better than 90% of the population. Realistically, in a confined fire like that, there's only a handful of seconds before there's nothing anyone could do to save the pilot. Fly safe, Scott.

Scott, I feel your pain and anguish from being unable to save a fellow pilot. Two summers ago, I was vacationing in Tennessee when a Motorcyclist was fleeing from police and collided with a minivan in the intersection ahead of me. The motorcyclist was thrown from his bike and wound up sliding underneath my Suburban. I jumped out of the car and found him under the rear axel with a severe leg injury and with agonal breathing. I am a physician and I stabilized his neck and provided a jaw thrust to improve his air exchange. Several other motorists helped me slide him out from under the car and I tended to him until the fire rescue department arrived. He was taken to a local hospital where he expired. I saw the incident over and over again in my mind every night for the next several months. I admire your decision to go toward the tragedy and attempt to render aid. Even though you were in a hopeless situation, you chose the heroic route and attempted to save a fellow human. I hope your mind gives you peace as quickly as possible. Don't be afraid to reach out for help and please continue to share your wisdom and knowledge with your RU-vid community. All my prayers for you, the other witnesses and of course the victim and their family. God bless.

My wife and I were first on the scene to a remote rural highway high speed roll over car accident. A little girl was ejected and laying unconscious, the driver hand one hand de-fleshed and another person had a knee cap ripped off. Emergency services didn't arrive for about 30 minutes but other drivers stopped to help us tend to the injured. The little girl had not regained consciousness when the ambulance took her away about an hour later.We were perplexed that when we tried to tell the story to friends in the following days no one could understand the emotional impact of witnessing multiple serious injuries and attempting to convey this left us feeling empty. They could understand the facts but not the experience.

I watched a fiery helicopter crash at a 1970s UK air show. My late father, as medical officer, walked into the cockpit twice and extracted both mortally wounded airmen. The only reason he could enter the wreckage is because the fire truck foam supressed the fire in the cockpit for long enough. My dad's medical speciality was motor race and air show MO. He and I talked about nothing else for days after that event. Scott, you did all that was humanly possible and rightly made the first call to the emergency services. And it is OK to talk it through; even the professionals like my dad do that. It helped me decide that I wanted to be a plant biologist not a medic. You and everyone else affected by the crash you witnessed will be in my thoughts and prayers.

I did CPR on a dude who died while out cycling. My training kicked in and I did everything I could. I felt nothing after which really bothered me until I spoke with some climbing buddies who were paramedics and explained that is actually super normal. Remember, if you see something and respond to it and then feel nothing after that is normal too.

Scott, long ago I used to fly with a friend who had a car dealership. His plane was a twin engine Aero Commander (with the wings properly on top). He would let me ride with him around northern Vermont to keep his flight time up and just check rides on the plane. Great fun for a 22 year old. At that time I was also on a local fire department heavy rescue team. A local airport had an incident and we were called to check it out. Sadly a 4 some from down south were flying up to Stowe Vermont for vacation. The local community airport was in Morrisville Vt. With friends waiting for them they missed approached and were going around. On the return downwind to try again, they stalled. We were first on scene. I’ve seen many a car wreck, many a burning home but never a plane crash. The ground was soft and the front of the plane was buried into mud with the cockpit against the ground. I’ve never witnessed such total devastation of machine and human. We did our best to treat the spilled fuel and wait for a coroner to arrive before getting the occupants boarded and carried out of the mud bog. It was noted later that the aircraft was very overweight with luggage and passengers. I could not get on a plane for years. Even then it took some medical help for a few flights. I’ve never again flown on a light aircraft. Just big old airliners 🤦🏻 I still sometimes have a nightmare about that crash. Your angst and anxiety are far too common for those who witness trauma. The over thinking of “what if” can be endless. Your great ability to analyze an incident likely doesn’t help you right now. But time will dull the sharper edges I’ve learned since my wife died from cancer. Take care of yourself and give it all the time it needs. Though as a fan, I was gratified to hear you are purchasing a parachute for your plane. Well done! Can’t wait to see you back in action with more Spaceflight analysis. But we can be patient.

Hey Scott, i did a bit of work as an EMT a while ago and one thing they told us is never go inside a burning building or similar - beyond the personal dangers its one more guy for the firefighters to get out of there if something goes wrong. You did the right thing by ultimately staying back, you did more than any reasonable person could expect of you by a mile by doing so much to try and help in such a dangerous situation in the first place. Im glad there are people like you in the world.

Scott, if you get an invasive memory of the event immediately think or say "can't change the past, only the present" You did your best

My grandfather was a private pilot, civil aviation. I always remember the story he told me of a terrible crash he saw during an air show, the pilot was performing the "hammerhead" maneuver and never pulled out on the dive. They think he blacked out or had a medical emergency. I'll never forget his description of when he came up on the crash to try and help. I'm not going to repeat it in this comment due to the graphic nature. But like you said, there was nothing that could be done. But even still, everyone ran to help if they could, including all aviators at the airshow. You did the right thing Scott, never doubt that! There are those who run away from danger, and there are those who run towards the danger to help if they can. We all know which one you are. You're a great man.

Scott, it's your channel. You can talk about whatever you want. Thank you for trying to do everything that you could.

Scott, your actions were the difference between this person’s loved ones wondering forever “what if someone had been there at the moment it happened - to try and help?” and them being able to try and process the fact that “sadly, even despite someone risking their own life by literally reaching into the flames, seconds after the crash, the outcome was what it was.” I’m saying that as an objective observation, not just because I want you to feel better. They may never say it to you, but I can assure you of the difference your actions made for them. Stay safe, prepare for this memory to take a very long time to begin to lessen emotionally, and if given the opportunity - do what you did again with equal lack of hesitation for your care over the strangers around you. ❤

Hey Scott, first time commenter. Like a lot of people commenting, I saw some stuff as a military guy and I've been party to some vehicle crashes here on the ground that I became a 'first responder' to. All your emotional reactions are completely normal! The fact that you are so able to detail the timeline of events, while being aware of your responses/reactions/emotions, is very telling. You are a logical, rational man; yes, but you have the capacity to slow down and to use emotion to your immediate benefit (that's the part that saved your own life). You would be home in any of the most demanding/immediate type fields like medical, military, EMS, fire, etc. This will make you an exceptional pilot. Always remember to slow down, rely on your training first (checklists and such!), but constantly asses the situation using ALL faculties provided to you. Pressure turns coal to either dust or diamonds. It is your choice to keep flying or to give it up. Either way, the conclusion you come to will be the right one. God Bless!

"Fly safe" really hit hard on this one.

Scott, I'm a former Air Traffic Specialist for NAVCANADA, the Canadian version of FAA. I had my own incident shortly after there had been a major crash in the region, and with the two events together, I couldn't get back on it. I did it wrong, I closed up, I didn't get better, and that was it for the career I loved. YOU ARE DOING IT RIGHT, thinking actively about what you want to continue doing, and talking about it to help process it. I'm sorry you had to go through it, I'm grateful you've taken part in sharing your recordings and witness account with the investigators because that's how we make this system safer, and for what it's worth, I'm proud of you for how you're dealing with it. Enjoy your Return To Flight mission.

Hi Scott. I’ve been watching your channel for a long time but don’t think I’ve ever commented until now. I saw your video this evening and wanted to share some moral support. While I’m not a pilot myself I work in the emergency management field have been in several similar situations myself. First, let me say that all of the feelings you described and expressed in your video are natural and understandable at this point. I say that because my experiences in that regard have been nearly identical. It sounds like you did everything you could do in those few moments and, while it may not have yielded the result we all desire, you deserve to be applauded for putting yourself in harms way and making the attempt. Many others wouldn’t. And asking yourself what you could have done differently is a natural and healthy response to a point. We as emergency services professionals do the same. That said, I’d encourage you and anyone who has an experience like that to reach out and have a conversation with a mental health provider. While all of what you are sharing is natural and nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed by, a mental health professional can help guide you on healthy ways to express those emotions and give you the warning signs to be aware of if you are not processing things well. Although I’ve been doing what I do for more than 20 years now, when these things happen I still speak to a mental health provider just to ensure my own health and well being. Again, thank you for what you did to try to help this person, to protect others, and to help aid in the investigation.

I was one of 3 eyewitnesses to the crash of PSA flight 1771. I was at the crash site within minutes, and looked for what I hoped would be at least part of a plane with survivors, but the biggest piece of a person I saw was a foot in a boot. I spent a lot of time in phone interviews with the airline, NTSB and FAA. It was a traumatic experience, watching the plane power to the ground at a 70° down angle. Additional note: The entire board of directors of Chevron was aboard.

Hi Scott, I understand exactly what you're going through. I was a pilot for more than 30 years and lost a dear friend during our beloved hobby. It helps to talk about it and process what happened. Stay strong! The pain will eventually pass. Best, Beat

This is heartbreaking. I'm sorry you had to experience this. I am a student pilot myself and recent solo. I have struggled to find my "personal minimums". This just lowered them. Thank you for sharing. Take care of yourself and, as always, fly safe.

Hi Scott. Thirty year Glasgow firefighter here, now retired for fifteen years. You did as much as you possibly could in what was a terrible set of circumstances. You’ll doubt your decisions and question your actions on the day for a period of time. It appears to me like you’re processing what happened very well. Steady as you go and you’ll be fine. Thoughts and sympathies to the family and friends of the victim. Fly safe mate.

I was the sole witness to a woman being struck by a train. Suffered PTSD for a long time. Be aware and get counseling. Don’t let yourself suffer with this trauma. Best wishes and safe journeys and soft landings.

Hi Scott, just watched this with my Dad (whose funnily enough, another Scott) and heres what he told me. He’s been flying for 27 years (Gulfstreams now, im adding that point outta being proud) but in his years of flying he’s lost his closest mates to flying and thought about giving it up a couple times. It will be devastating, and these happened 30 years ago almost and it the losses still linger on his mind every now and then. Thankfully his Wife, my Mother, is a Nurse and what he’s said (mostly because he’d get whacked with a wooden spoon if he didn’t) is, talk. Do not keep it to yourself, because as you said, you keep repeating it, and sadly with how horrible our brains are, we will always go down the negative road, and pick out a non-existent failure amongst all the good we did. Do not say you did “2-3 things” No. In the given circumstances, you did all you could which was an attempt to save the pilots life, but also ensure the protection of yours, for yourself and your family and friends. You did all you could! Keep your chin up, do what you need to process it, and as you’re a bloody scot, go have a pint somewhere with a/or mate(s) and have a chat. Its got me outta some dark spots, but you dont need a young bloke telling you that!😂 Anyway Scott, thank you for your years of content! And keep that bloody chin up!

A debrief like this is a great way to mitigate PTSD. You should enquire with the fire department if they have a critical incident stress debrief with emergency services... They could perhaps include you... Or at least a referral to victims services for a thorough debrief. Getting it out early and acknowledging that you are human and did what a human could do in that situation is vital to not have it affect you as much. Take it from a 911 operator who is really saddened when 'more victims bring themselves to the scene'. I'm really glad you hear you only lost some arm hair. You did what you could. There is nothing else you could have done. A trained firefighter without protective gear is in exactly the same situation - unable to do anything. Dragging a plane(likely with brakes applied) by hand is unrealistic. The metal on metal was likely galled and stuck. If it was pulled out, the metal would be too hot to unlatch. Truly tragic circumstances and you cannot for a second think there is anything more you could have done. Stay safe!

@5:40: don’t apologize for not showing someone dying! At last a youtuber/media member with a conscience and basic human decency! Well said and well done .

Don’t beat yourself up, I did for a while after CPR didn’t save my Dad. I finally realized I did everything I could for him and he would have been proud of my effort. Remember you ran to help, we’re proud of you.

The fact that you even attempted to do anything, that you ran into danger like you did. Is a very strong compliment, a lot of people freeze up in these situations. As a truck driver that has been first on scene to multiple severe accidents, to the point where I have a shock trauma Medical Kit attached to my work backpack, I know that feeling of if only I could have done more. Speaking firsthand of the feelings that I know you're having, you are not Superman, and even if you were Clark Kent, there's no guarantee it would have changed the outcome. You are a good man Scott, and in the moment you went above and beyond, not only in attempting to make a rescue, but then moving into preserving investigatory evidence of an extremely perishable nature. But thank you for doing all that you did. So just focus on keeping her shiny side up and dirty side down, and fly safe.

I saw a fatal motorcycle crash, and was second one on scene. I went through it a million times thinking of what I could do, and in the end there was nothing I could do. It messed with my mind for a couple months. You did the right thing Scott.

Scott, when I was a teenager I was involved in the recovery of a glider crash. I was terrified that I'd be the one to find the plane stuck in the trees with a deceased pilot. Fortunately, the pilot was okay despite the plane being a write-off, but I couldn't get over the emotional burden of witnessing this and quit flying shortly thereafter despite my rational brain knowing that there are many everyday activities that are substantially more hazardous. Kudos to you for doing all the right things, and I hope you'll be able to process the impact of this event better than I was. Don't be afraid to talk to a therapist to help you process what you experienced.

I was northbound on 101 and saw the smoke. I've survived two flying incidents, and my heart was pounding when I saw the smoke. Keep flying Scott, but please be an old - not bold - pilot.

As a Paramedic for 18 years and a volunteer firefighter (retired from both) you ran in where others would rather film for RU-vid clout. That is a rare thing indeed. You have the right stuff, and did the right thing. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You acted with compassion and rationality in an extreme situation. Fly Safe Scott Manley.

I've been a pilot for 27 years. I too have watched friends parish in crashes. It is profoundly psychologically troubling. I relate closely to this video and I'm glad you posted it. As an experienced and current/frequent pilot (RV-4, towplanes and gliders), I wouldn't hesitate to take off in almost any airplane with 14kt direct x-winds. In Kanas, we call that summer. We can also get very sudden gusts fronts which push winds from near calm to 60+mph in seconds and this type of thing could happen. Again... glad you posted and I'm still processing it as you are clearly. Good luck!

As a PPL, one of my first “rules” is to get my front seat passenger to try the brakes on their side (so they know where they are) and then before departure and arrival “HEELS ON THE FLOOR”. It’s a lot easier to overcome their ankle joint than their whole leg muscles. I run a marshalling team at grass strip aviation events, and eventually you are going to witness an accident; I remind everyone on the team that their job is to control the environment and not allow themselves or others to become another victim. Out in the open with a simple runway excursion is one thing, entering a structure or building that is on fire is seldom a good idea. Sometimes the best we can achieve from tragedy is learning; sometimes it’s our own limits, other times it is those of the people around us. Aviation is often inherently unforgiving, but equally so fulfilling at the same time. Give yourself some slack and time to process what’s happened. This was a test you didn’t really study for, so don’t beat yourself up that you didn’t know the “answers” at the time - we can all “ace the test” on reflection, but that’s not how reality works.

Very sorry you had to witness this. In the aviation world, you'll eventually encounter these kinds of events. I've witness a small jet land when a deer ran across the runway a saw as the deer was... divided by one of the jet's wings. I've seen runway departures. Hard landings. One of my flight instructors died in a plane crash. And one of my favorite planes that I used to train in back in the day was destroyed in a crash that killed both a student and instructor. Seeing death like that changes you, and I know how you feel. My condolences, Scott, and especially condolences to the family and friends of the pilot and anyone else who may have lost their life in this incident.

I was 16 and watched a young man who was running from the cops go headfirst into a metal building. He was flying on his motorcycle but his front wheel went over a inch high step in the road. It sent him flying. I can resee this crash like it was an hour ago well over 48 years later. I could see his helmet had cracked and he was leaking cerebral fluid. He still had some lifesigns so they called for the chopper. He did not survive the accident. It was horrible sight that i have never forgotten. Thankfully i did not suffer from PTSD, but i easily could have. Thankfully my mother was a former ER nurse and talked me thru it. But i still see it. I suspect you will see your incident for the rest of your life too.

You did more then most people would have . You tried . Running toward a burning plane and hanger . Mr. Manley you are a hero ! In you own word Fly Safe !

As a firefighter, I'm sure many of my colleagues have already told you the same, but resta assured you did the correct thing considering your lack of any firefighting or protective gear. You had no way of assessing what the structural integrity of the plane was at any point, if you tried anything there's every chance you could have made things worse. You never know what's gonna fail and become a lever to launch something else towards yourself or towards something else flammable nearby. Getting help was your first and only responsibility. Up until that point you were on your own. If something happened to you before you called for help could have made everything worse, and definitely would have delayed the action from the rescue squad (despite the other pilot talking to the tower at the same time, your call to 911 has immediately doubled the chances of reducing the damage in time. In normal house fires the size of the fire doubles every minute, this changes dramatically when there's aviation fuel involved)

You did the right things. As a pilot of over 40 years, I can sympathize with your feelings from this event. I've lost friends to aviation, and it's hard.

I've worked in aviation for 38 years, mostly in line service fueling and towing planes. I'm also a private pilot. I've seen or knew people that have been involved in 7 incidents, 3 of them deadly. It's a stark reminder of how serious and deadly our profession can be. Never get complacent. Every rule, procedure and regulation in aviation was learned by someone the hard way. Literally written in blood. Fly safe, sir!

Scott, based on what you described, you did everything right on the scene, and you’re doing everything right now. About 16 years ago, I lost a classmate and good friend in a T-38 crash during AF pilot training. Nothing prepares you for it. But the best way through it is to objectively understand what happened, and to connect that understanding to your feelings, best done through discussion with others affected by it. Flying has inherent risk, and there is always a limit to how much that risk can be mitigated. Your immediate instinct to work with your instructor is absolutely fantastic. The only other piece that I would offer beyond your perspective on go-arounds (which are always free) is to always be willing to divert. There’s almost always another field not far away with better conditions. Hang in there, brother. Survivor/rescuer guilt is real and painful. This community is behind you, all the way.

Seeing a plane crash in person is absolutely harrowing and we’re not prepared as mammals to even interpret the sights and sounds of it. I saw one hit a highway with dense traffic and I will never forget it. Talking about this is good and you’re doing all the right things. Pilots know the risk and take responsibility for their decisions. There’s nothing you needed to and nothing you could have done. Make sure you fly soon so you don’t get put off.

You did great Scott. Remember the ABSOLUTE first rule of any emergency "Don't do anything that might make the situation worse."

Fly safe, everyone. Scott consider you might have some PTSD issues crop up after this so be mindful.

Scott, I'm sorry that you had to experience this crash. You did everything that you could in the moment and afterwards to help. Wishing you all the best as you process and deal with this loss of life.... as well as for the family of the crashed plane.

@12:12 "... maybe one thing I could have maybe tried was grabbing the tailplane..." I'm not a structural engineer, Scott, but given the weight of the plane and the way you described the aluminum skin pealing off, I don't believe that could have worked. You did everything you possibly could. I understand and sympathize with what you're feeling mentally and emotionally. It'll take time for you to process what happened. Try to keep in mind that you did your best, because it's obvious that you DID!

Dear Scott, based on your description, that poor soul was gone by the time you got there. I am sure you could not do anything to save him. I wish you a quick recovery, and forgetting to question yourself, you did all you could.

Scott- i’m so sorry you had to witness this and experience this. It’s clear you did everything that you could and no one is denying that. I think it’s great that you’re talking about it, trying to repress feelings will only make them stronger. I wish you safety and all the best of luck.

Being on scene during an accident is always hard. I was a first responder when I was 12 for a crash in my front yard. I still remember it as vivid as the fay it happened. Luckily everyone survived, I can only imagine if it had gone any other way. Focus on talking it out, with a therapist if you want, and just take the time for it.

Hi Scott. I'm a pilot and former EMT based in Petaluma and was out flying that day getting a few final hours before my annual was due. I was driving home down 101 when I saw the column of smoke that was eerily similar to the smoke I saw from the Monday crash at Airventure this year, I knew it was probably near Gnoss but hoped for the best till I got closer and saw the fire. You did the right thing. First responders know that the first rule is to protect yourself - becoming another victim does nobody any good. Replaying the "what could I have done" over and over is normal and it will fade over time. Been there - done that. Just remember the "S" (stress) and "E" (emootion) from the IMSAFE checklist for a bit. Taking an instructor up is an excellent interim plan. Knock on wood, although I've seen crash aftermath including taxiing past the wreckage of a fatal crash on the way to my first airplane solo (pilot left the gust lock in place), I've never actually witnessed nor lost someone I know to a crash. Hang in there and hope to see you back in the air, soon.

I arrived on a fatal accident once. It was not pleasant and nothing could be done. Even so, it really stays in mind for a long time, as you have described. You did really well getting photos and video evidence. That is definitely going to be a help. My thought is that this pilot was probably already deceased by the time you were on the scene. Besides police reports on the scene, I made a diary entry to record all the details, and that helps a little. Stay safe!

😢 So sorry to everyone involved. This is a traumatic event. Look after yourself Scott. You are a hero for trying to get in there to help.

I lost my grandfather to a plane crash in Modesto. Came down to hard, wheel broke, and crashed into his truck. Whole plane was up in seconds. Sorry you had to go through that. It's admirable you tried to help even if it was impossible to get him out.

That "fly safe" hit hard. Had to swallow the lump in my throat. Best of luck with your recovery, Scott. Much love from a fan.

Hey Scott. I witnessed a crash when I was 16. The guy was a stunt show pilot in a Pitts biplane and had given a show in Greensboro N.C. and was on his way home when he stopped over our pig picking where his square dance club was with us. The last thing he did was fly over inverted waving at us before he went about a half mile out and attempted a tail slide that he was unable to recover. I still periodically dream of it and the aftermath I won't describe either. Things like this story from you periodically bring it back; I'll have that dream tonight. Life is fragile and short. Take care of yourself and always be careful.

My first ever flight with an instructor was in a great little cessna 172, after getting done with our flight I handed the keys over to another younger guy who was headed for the airforce academy and wanted to take his family up for a flight as a way of celebrating his acceptance into the academy. I found out once I got home that guy stalled the plane on take off, and they all unfortunately fell to their death on the runway. Incredibly humbling way to start my flight school.

I started following you 10 years ago and i'm so glad to have grown with you. I'm also in pilot training (just got my commercial license!) Seeing you handle this only increases my respect to you. You're a good man Scott!

No need to apologize for sharing and for what you didn't Scott. My Dad over the years was a volunteer firefighter, ambulance attendant, minister and sometimes counselor to the crews involved in major incidents. He did not recognize his own PTSD until he was retired, but had good friends, as well as my mother, and was able to process it to some degree. Stuff like this lasts forever, it is important for you to process your own feelings over the incident. Please go to a counselor yourself and make sure to take care of your own mental well being. And remember, beyond your own circle, there is a huge community of supporters behind you.

I came upon a ford pinto that had been rear ended and was fully engulfed in flames. The drivers door was blown open and he was ten feet away yet I could not get to him due to the roaring fire. I never had any issues as I did everything possible. Having someone burn to death while watching is the worst. Enjoy your channel.

This actually hits pretty close to home for me. On an airshow I went to with my parents a plane crashed right into a shop I wanted to order something from. All I remember was me waking up in the hospital a few days later with some bruises. Sadly not everyone was as lucky as me though. The shop owner and a girl lost their lives to this tragic accident. I hope this experience wasn't as traumatic as what happened to me was for my parents! All the best to you and condolences to the family of the pilot!

I had a similar experience. Two cars collided head on on a highway right in front of me. Both cars caught fire. I stopped my car, got my fire extinguisher and ran to the first car. It had only a small fire starting. The other car had flames already. I went for the second one and tried to put the fire out. I emptied the whole fire extinguisher and it didn't even make a dent. There was nothing else I could do for these people. I then went back to the first car. This one was now in flames too. Six people died that day. Many years later, I still think what I could have done differently. Maybe if I had tried first to put out the small fire in the first car I could have saved somebody's life. 😢

A couple of decades ago, I was a newish private pilot and I rented an airplane to take my girlfriend to a Class D airport for an air show. Before the show, several local pilots were giving rides. One of those pilots had a Fouga jet trainer. He had taken off with a passenger just before we landed. As we got out of the airplane and got our stuff together for the air show, the Fouga was approaching for a low pass. He passed midfield and started a pitch up, maybe 10 degrees or so. As he did that, one of the tip tanks departed from the wing, the aircraft yawed violently and all sorts of stuff started coming off. The plane seemed to stop in midair, rolled over and went straight into the ground. It was horrible, something I'll never forget. In all my years as a firefighter and EMT, I never asked for a debriefing. Had one been available, I needed one after seeing that crash. I know what you're going through. It gets better, but it's one of those things you never truly get over. The entire pilot community understands and we're all with you as you deal with this.

Good job, Scott. What a rare phenomenon for the fire to propagate so rapidly. You kept your head about you and gave it a good go. I lucked out and flew for 40 years without seeing or experiencing any tragedies. My biggest fear by far was having a fire in the cockpit at high altitude.

Retired Military, USAF, worked hundreds of airplanes. Over twenty years and tours around the world starting in Southeast Asia, and you see a lot of flying and a few aircraft lost in incidents, both dangerous and some terminal, and some people you knew. It is the nature of the beast. Just remember, there are millions of flights departing and landing every year, commercial and private, and very few incidents, relatively. Just said goodbye to one of my best friends a few weeks ago. At age 76 he'd had 40 plus years flying, 20 in the USAF, with 5000 plus hours in the Low Level TFR F-111 Tactical Bomber, and another 20 or so flying commercially for TWA and American, and what, tragically, took his life was a simple surgery that got out of hand. We'll go when we go. Watching your flight, you did an outstanding job, and yes, you made the best decision in your assessment, where others have not. Do NOT focus on the landing, focus on the flying. You do NOT have to land there, so don't force a landing, diversions have to always be the possibility. Finally, you are doing the right thing in second guessing stuff. Just remember, if you could have done things different, that gives the situation a chance to change things, too, possibly taking out you, as well. You did what you did, and it was laudable. Fly (and live) Safe!!!

Talking about those experiences is very important. It's one of the first things you learn as a first responder/firefighter and so on... if you don't talk about it, you have little chance to process it.

Scott, it means a lot that your response to the situation was to run toward the crash. I already thought a lot of you, but knowing in that moment you at least tried to act to preserve life makes me respect you all the more.

I can truly sympathize with you, Scott. I witnessed a crash and explosion of a 1954 open cockpit biplane about 50 meters away from me and called it in to airport security. I saw it from start to finish and could do nothing to help the pilot engulfed in flames. The NTSB had my info as the only witness and ruled it pilot error without interviewing me. The aircraft was wings vertical and engine firewalled about 100 feet in altitude before nosing into the ground and exploding. The airplane was broken before it impacted. I've always wanted to reach out to tell the family it wasn't his fault, but have no contact info. I feel for you brother. We carry that trauma together. I will never forget that burning soul.

Scott, you did everything you could have done. Because of that experience you will bring positive things to others in the future. Believe it or not, you've already begun. Fifty years ago I was 17 and working near a convenience store when I heard a loud car crash. I asked someone to call the police (pre-911), then got into my car to investigate. When I arrived on a small dirt road that was often used as a shortcut from the main highway, I saw two vehicles had hit head on. One smaller car had two teenagers who were ejected from their car and the other car had a young family. As I approached the latter car, no one was moving. The father had been slammed into the steering wheel with blood spattered everywhere. The mother was partially ejected, labored breathing, children in the back seat were also unconscious, one with a pronounced hole in its head. I had never witnessed anything of that magnitude before. I turned to run because I had no idea what to do, then stopped myself and said, "If you run from this you'll run from things for the rest of your life." I went back, stood helplessly until an ambulance arrived (which was a hearse converted to an ambulance). All I able to do was tell the ambulance attendants (no EMTs) this one is breathing, this one is choking.... I decided that day that I never wanted to be in that situation again, so I began searching for some sort of first aid training. Ultimately, the state where I live had just begun EMT training and a move toward professional ambulances in rural areas. An EMT class was offered at my college and I enrolled and became an EMT with no intention of working in the field. There was a severe shortage of EMTs, so I agreed to work for an EMS service starting part time at first. That work got me through a 4 year degree program until I had 8 years total invested in my EMS career. I don't know if I made a difference at the first accident I walked up on, but I like to think that first experience put me on a path toward making a difference in a number of later instances. Scott, you have been changed by your experience and now that change will lead you to help others by sharing your experience here on RU-vid, warning others about what you witnessed, (as you mentioned) being safer in your own plane or becoming more aware of safety resources you can call into play. The crash you witnessed was a tragedy, but you've already begun making positive changes that will save equipment, injuries and lives! Thanks for sharing!

Being a Nurse for 40+ years I've stopped for auto and pedestrian accidents multiple times as well as working in 2 Emergency Rooms in 2 different states. You do the best you can and understand that as you gain more experience you also learn how to do things better (hopefully) Seeing people die for a myriad of reasons has led me to realize that we all have a set time here and when that time comes there is nothing anyone can do to extend it. Keep flying, keep getting better and keep following your dreams. Live life to the fullest and as best as you can. I truly enjoy your videos as there is no hype or garbage that some of the other YT channels do when talking about space flight. You and Marcus are the best. Fly safe

You did everything you could with what you had available. A lot of people would freeze up, you didn’t waste a second and ran straight towards an inferno. Hindsight is 20/20, don’t beat yourself up over what you didn’t do, be proud of what you did do. We are all here for you mate, stay strong

I've been to Oshkosh and witnessed a plane crash with my father, a ww2 vet. He saw bombers crash on take off with full bomb loads, he saw planes practically vaporize with direct hits of AA into the bomb bay. So it is life changing and you have to deal with it personally. My Dad held it in, went to school with the GI Bill, got married and had a family. I.was about 12 years old before I knew my father was involved in the war. You did what you could. You made the call. That's what you could do.

Sorry for your experience Scott ,it is never easy to see people die especially in circumstances like that . I have been a flying instructor for 33 years and over time witnessed 6 fatal accidents .in total during the years I have see 41 people die as a result of Aviation ,some very close friends and aquaitances ,in one year I went to 6 funerals .This makes you think should I be doing this anymore ,after 3 very close calls with aircraft nearly colliding with me when teaching and when I say CLOSE it is still a miracle Im alive to this day .The last close call sealed it for me ,I gave up Teaching and took a ground job as an Instructor . Nobody knows how tragic flying can be and how inherently dangerous it is ,all those factor ,other planes ,weather ,mechanical issues etc etc . I would recommend you keep flying such events teach us something and we learn from other peoples mistakes ,that why crash analysis video exits . You did exactly the right thing in this incident ,call the aurthorities stand back observe and report ,that all you could have done .

I’ve been through multiple traumatic experiences, part of my job, there’s nothing as brutal as survivors guilt. You’re a logical person, you know perfectly well there was nothing more you could have done, but your brain is a human brain and guilt is how our brains try to take control of circumstances which were outside our control. I strongly encourage seeking therapy early, I wasn’t able to cope on my own and because I’m stubborn I developed bad ptsd for years before I got help. I’m a pilot too, just earned my ppl recently. Ironically I pursued flying as an outlet for my trauma and ptsd, it’s one of the only things that completely takes me out of it. It’s such an amazing privilege to fly, I would never give it up.

The airport where I earned my private pilot license (1973) had 3 runways in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The grass area between the runways was called the safety triangle. A Twin Otter crashed and burned almost perfectly in the center of the safety triangle. That aircraft was built using a lot of magnesium, so there was very little left after the fire. The flight school reopened a couple of days later. It was very sobering for all the students to see the small area of wreckage from what used to be a flying machine. As I recall, it took about a week to remove the wreckage, but that image is still crystal clear in my mind. My reaction at the time was to double my effort to be the best pilot I could be. Well done to you for trying to help! Running toward the fire is what brave people do.

Scott, I'm thinking of you (although I couldn't watch the full video). I was first responder (airfield RFFS) in a double fatality Tiger Moth accident 7 years ago. There is nothing you could have done to change the outcome. G-force and Avgas are morbidly potent. The care you took to check the other hangars is commendable - and shows that if there was anything to be done to change the outcome, you would have done it. Please connect with your friends and family, and access any other support you need. I still think about my experience (and the families of the deceased) every day, but now try to use it to remember how important it is to show kindness to others. You will heal, and grow. Fly safe. Also, EMDR therapy really helped me with PTSD.

I’ve been involved with a hang gliding fatality, Scott. I was helping the guy launch and just as he launched, he mentally became a passenger, and the wind didn’t let him get away with it that day. Things move fast in aviation, but very rarely do they move impossibly fast. Keep using your skills and staying current and staying safety-focused, and making good decisions when you can think slow, and when you have to think fast, the good decisions will be habit. So cognitively, you’re better off than most occasional pilots. Emotionally, you sound like you’re doing all the right things to get through this. Maybe you could have done things differently. Hell, if you had just parked on the runway and blocked it for 15 minutes while it was gusty, you could have prevented the failed takeoff attempt completely. But that’s not really practical. At some point, you’ll get to a deep peace / acceptance that the other pilot made his decisions, and they didn’t work out for him, and you still tried everything you could think of at the time to save him. You can’t save everybody, and some days you can’t save anybody but yourself. And those are sad days.

Bro, you did everything you could without making yourself another casualty for emergency services to deal with. That situation was instantly beyond your control and you did the right thing.

Scott, as someone who is building their own plane, let me tell you I reviewed the plans for what I got and I saw so many blaring safety features that needed to be included and I’ve been heavily modifying and adding redundant breakers and strengthening strategic points in the plane, but this fire safety aspect is something that I had moderately considered and now I am heavily considering more factors thank you so much for this video. You’re saving lives by posting it.

Fellow pilot here. I appreciate you sharing. That was an impossible situation. I think you’re doing the right thing getting with a flight instructor to get a lesson on the books to discuss the situation and use the experience as something to learn from. Stay safe!

I'm sorry you had to go through that. There are some times there's just nothing you can do. I grew up with a Trauma RN/Firefighter dad, I worked in EMS, and little bro is CHP. The #1 rule of emergency rescue is "Don't Add To The Casualty Count." Good for trying, but you didn't have the tools available to you to make a rescue. And that's ok. Learning what you can about trauma response and emergency extrication can help you feel a little more in control. Ask your local fire department about a stop the bleed class and crash response. Think how many car accidents there are every year. Having a good first aid kit and a couple tourniquets can make a huge difference.

Hey Scott. I hope you are doing well. I use to be a volunteer fire fighter, an EMT, and a 911 call taker. I've given failed CPR, pulled peoples out of crashed vehicles that I'm sure did not survive, and have unintentionally been the person some people said their last words too. Each time it was in the act of me trying to save their lives. Some were fathers, siblings, & children. After leaving the field the memories of these failed attempts weighed heavily on me. In the end I found comfort knowing that each time I gave my best effort even if it failed, even if there may have been a better path to help. Asking yourself "what if" is something we all get stuck with asking. But when you find yourself in an emergency situation at a minutes notice you should be proud of yourself for trying anything as long as it was your best effort. These days not only do I find comfort in knowing that I tried my best but I feel pride as well, even if the outcome wasn't what I had hoped for.

Scott I was in a pileup in Dallas in the 80s. I was ok because I was in a 76 cougar. A military guy was trapped in a small car. It was leaking gasoline from the tank, and the wiring was burning like a fuse towards it. The guy was trapped. Me and others ripped the hood off with a tire tool. I took the tire tool and popped the post from the battery. I stayed with the guy till help arrived. I saw on the news he had a broken leg, but recovered. He was a very lucky man.

16:37 I've taken other people that are clearly expendable 💀

Never thought I would tear up during a Scott Manley video.... Thank you for sharing.

Retired Paramedic here, I completely understand. Best to you