[Pukin Dog]

Accidents are almost never a case of soldiers showing off.

Sorry, but that is wrong. Outside of mechanical failure, almost all military flying accidents are due a failure to follow procedure, which is most cases does come down to showing off. It happens more than the military would like you to know.

[eastforker]

But Dog, isn't that also a part of training sometimes pushing it to the limits? Had the wheel chock been secured the accident would not have happened correct? One question is if the pilot was proficient to perform this maneuver and if it was a recognized tactical maneuver.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

"Outside of mechanical failure, almost all military flying accidents are due a failure to follow procedure,"

I was a Vietnam era Crew Chief with 3,500 flying hours.

"Hot-Dog" pilots are a major problem then and now. I think that the personality type that is drawn to being a pilot is the type that is reckless given the opportunity. But since the birth of aviation the reckless are the ones who become pilots.

A quote from a pilot, "Flying is hours of boredom punctuated by seconds of terror." So to spice up the boredom pilots do stupid stuff.

[eastforker]

In the article"waiting to demonstrate for a visiting dignitary - Marine Gen. James L. Jones, supreme allied commander for Europe and commander of the U.S. European Command - how to deliver troops quickly to the battlefield. " It could also be argued that the demonstration was unnecessary.