Whenever I think about the last day of JFK, two words will always stick with me: "Graveyard spiral." From all indications it was a graveyard spiral that took the life of John F. Kennedy, Jr. The graveyard spiral is a series of ever-tightening turns that corkscrew a plane toward earth. It is the leading danger when new pilots leave clear weather for clouds or darkness.

An inexperienced pilot will lose his bearings and the plane will begin to turn without his even knowing it. By the time the force of gravity begins to warn the pilot the plane is falling, the instinct to pull up only makes the spiral worse.

I was fascinated to learn that 83% of all fatal accidents happen when new pilots fly in bad weather, lose their bearings and spiral to the ground, according to the National Transportatio…