Continuity mistake: After Stackhouse and Brunett has been shot down, we see the front part of the plane land and the inscription "Made in U.S.A" is writing on the right front of the plane. That wasn't there earlier. (00:22:10)
Continuity mistake: Owen Wilson is carrying an AK47 with a wooden full stock when going to start the beacon on the ejection seat. When he is retrieving the film from the ejection seat, his rifle has a side-folding stock metal wire stock.
Continuity mistake: Towards the beginning of the movie when the F-18 is taking off to go on the recon mission, it shows a lot of different shots of an F-18 taking off. One of these shots is actually of an F-14.
Continuity mistake: When Owen Wilson parachutes through the trees, his oxygen mask goes from being on, covering his face, to being off and dangling. This repeats when he drops from his tangled chute. When he initially cuts free, his mask is over his face, then when he gets up it is off. A pilot should keep his mask on and visor down after ejecting over land to prevent injuries to his face and eyes should he wind up in the trees like Wilson did. (00:24:40)
Continuity mistake: The metal rod Burnett uses to stop himself from sliding down, while being shot at by the sniper, changes after he grabs it. (00:38:15)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Serbian soldiers are searching for Owen Wilson's character almost all of them following the tank in that shot are left-handed. A few minutes later it happens again. In all other scenes most every soldier is right-handed. The odd shots are flipped. (00:40:10)
Continuity mistake: At the end when the 3 Marine helicopters take off to rescue Burnett one of the 3 has their side door open. The position of this helicopter changes instantly between camera cuts. It goes from left to central of the 3. (01:26:50)
Continuity mistake: When the soldiers find Stackhouse one of them stands on his injury. When the shot changes to Burnett's point of view, the soldiers haven't reached Stackhouse completely yet. (00:28:50)
Continuity mistake: When being confronted by the resistance fighters in Hac, Burnett has a gun to his right cheek in one shot which moves to his left side by his neck between instant cuts. (01:08:10)
Continuity mistake: When Burnett climbs out of the mass grave, he is completely covered in mud. In the flashback at Hac however his face is almost completely clean when he emerges from the graves. (00:45:00 - 01:07:50)
Continuity mistake: While speaking with the Admiral, Burnet's collar is turned up at the back of his neck. When he leaves and is talking to Stackhouse it's lowered and neat. When Stackhouse turns him round to speak to him, it's raised again. (00:11:40)
Answer: Because in escape and evasion, as opposed to combat, you are taught to get away from where you have landed as fast as possible. And Stackhouse probably believed his pilot would be treated humanely under the Geneva Convention.
stiiggy