Terrence,
   Thanks for your response, but your ampified opinion is still off base to me.  
   Where did you come up with the idea that airliners are no safer than GA?  That's crazy!  If you compare the number of hours flown by airliners per accident versus GA, there is no comparison.  Simply by virtue of the fact that all airline Captains (and most F/O's) are ATP rated along with the considerable experience that are required to get that rating, you can't possibly suggest that the planes operated by them in accordance with company SOP, tighter FAR's, nearly always in a positive ATC control environment and with two pilots onboard, not to mention with more sophisitated systems (TCAS, radar, multiple turbine engines, etc) and the fact that airline pilots fly all the time, which keeps their proficiency at a far higher level than the occasional weekend VFR private pilot doesn't result in a far greater level of safety than GA .
   One of the things that  we benefit from as a professional pilot both in the military and civilian worlds is the reviews of accidents we get as a regular part of our recurrent training.  During these sessions egos are checked at the door because all of us know that "There, but for the grace of God, go I".  Professional pilots know that there are always lessons to be learned from the mistakes of others and heeding them inevitably makes us better pilots.  I believe the whole premise of Jeff's message is that it is the failure of GA pilots to avail themselves of the harsh lessons learned by others which perpetuate the seemingly endless stream of accidents.  While not true of all GA pilots, we all know some who have the attitude of "It'll never happen to me" and ignore the advice of experienced council or the painful lessons of others who have paid the price for overestimating their own experience or capabilities. Sadly, many of this type of individual have died flying Lancairs.
   Skip Slater