QUOTE
the FAA should mandate black boxes in private planes too
for security[sic] reasons
Uhm, that would be rather like closing the barn door after the horse(s) escape. "Black boxes" don't tell you what might happen in the future, only what did happen in the immediate past. From that info it is usually easier to determine
why it happened. But for the info to be gathered, one would already have had the 'security' breach ( crash into a structure, etc. ). The how and why is rather a moot point then. "Black boxes" are not designed for any 'security' information that I'm aware of.
Private flying is already one of the most expensive "hobbies" around. These boxes and their associated sensors and wiring could easily add 25% to the cost of most light aircraft and do nothing to increase 'security'.
The basic cause of most crashes, no matter what size the aircraft, is lack of pilot 'situational awareness'. Instruments can help, but when flying under Visual Flight Rules as in this case, it is extremely important to be aware of where one is as well as where one will be in the next few seconds. That is what is meant by being 'ahead of the airplane'. The pilot cannot simply be a 'passenger', he must be in control in a four or five dimensional environment; up, down, forward, time and outside obstacles ( whether fixed [ buildings ] or moving [ other aircraft and even birds ] ).
Notice that I have not used the word "accident" yet. Most pilots know that there is no such thing. Somewhere along the chain of events that result in the 'event' there is a human fault that could have prevented the final outcome. It may go all the way back to the assumptions of the designers or as recent as some action or inaction of the pilot. But the end result is the same.
That is where the "black boxes" come into play. They can usually report exactly what the pilot was doing ( and saying ) and how the aircraft was responding to those actions.
In the Lidle case, in
might confirm who was at the controls, who decided to make the turn or why no one saw the building in time to avoid it. It certainly would confirm the airspeed and control positions which, in turn, might indicate any corrective actions attempted. It might even bring to light any purposeful criminal actions. But it would still be after the fact, not much help in the 'security' sense.
