Scudrunners

I can’t get over how fast it burns off energy until there’s nothing left to flare with.

Steep climbs right after liftoff for the camera are never a good idea

Oddly people are not prepared for the steep descent after the fuel stops.

It doesn’t matter how prepared you are you if are in the equivalent of the helicopter avoid curve, too slow, too low, giving you too little energy to avoid smashing into the ground.

too little energy

Absolutely. There needs to be enough combined potential and kinetic energy to successfully perform a power-off landing.

However, I suspect that we do not always witness optimal demonstrations of technique in this regard

My experience is that most people are unwilling to immediately lower the nose as required, which is quite dramatic. In fact their instincts tell them to do the complete opposite, and pull back to go up.

See the recent nearly-identical accident at the Soo, and my old friend Greg's college. You would have loved his gorgeous red Stinson, BPF!

Historically, GA has an abysmal record of correctly handling (you know, surviving) engine failures after takeoff in singles. There is this nutbar in Atlanta - Dan something, that Nark does not completely approve of - that has tried to draw attention to this. Note that Dan something in Atlanta has a DC-3 and loves really dogs, so I'm willing to cut him more slack than I really should. I can't help but think that anyone that owns a cranky old taildragger and loves dogs must have some redeeming characteristics.

Slick understands. He and his wife have more dogs than I have kids and dogs!

Ugh. It hurt my spine just watching that.