Near-fatal crash turns flight instructor into strict teacher

Flight instructor Sami Saikkonen nearly died in a 2021 plane crash in Hyvinkää, Finland, when the pilot suffered a sudden medical emergency and the aircraft plunged to the ground, killing the pilot and severely injuring Saikkonen, whose face had to be surgically reconstructed, Yle reports.

Now back teaching at the Finnish Aviation Academy in Pori, Saikkonen says the accident reshaped his approach. He warns students against complacency, insisting there are no easy flights. “What seems easiest in aviation is often the most dangerous,” he says.

He emphasizes that aviation regulations exist because of past disasters. “Every rule is written in blood,” Saikkonen notes, adding that the role of accident investigators is to uncover root causes—not assign blame—to improve the system.

A former dancer and choreographer, Saikkonen describes flying as a form of meditation, freeing the mind from daily worries. He quotes Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “Flying frees you from the tyranny of life’s petty annoyances.”

Though naturally easygoing, Saikkonen admits he becomes unexpectedly strict in the cockpit, demanding absolute adherence to rules. Mistakes are met with immediate feedback—often in the form of push-ups—to reinforce discipline.