PG pilot, 3d flight off instruction, flying west along the eucalyptus, encounters a touch of sink then descends into the base leg of the hg approach. HG pilot, also brand new, up to the brim with anxiety, eyes just left the slope indicator and turning base leg suddenly see this pg in front of him. He’s thinks he’s too low to make the field by going around either left or right.  He’s mistaken, of course, but he’s never considered this situation and now, thrust into this, he’s overwhelmed. The shade structure judges all offer up opinion, some yell commands but the sounds blend in the the helmets wind noise.

Mid air? Close call? Stall, dive, fatality? Double fatal tangle dive? No way to tell. By placing both in the same path for sure pushes the probability of it being a here and now and us, instead of over there, then, and them.

If I can para-phrase Patton, Let that other dumb son of a bitch die doing what he loves. I and mine want to make it home for dinner.