Flight Errors?

[jet_ifr]

I've noticed that a few members on the site have some flight experience under their belts. I thought a section that pertained to flight errors/mishaps would be interresting so we could glean some knowledge to file away in our brain housing groups for future reference...

I recently ticked over 200hrs TT and am well into the danger zone according to AOPA's statistics. I've had 2 events (so far) that have scared the shit out of me.

First, shortly after I got my Instrument rating I was flying from STL to FSD in IMC @ 8000' in a 177RG (Cessna Cardinal). OAT was +2C, and in FSD it was +1C. Cruising along I looked down at the EDM (electronic engine monitor) and noticed that the voltage was 11.6 (normally it is ~14.4), the alternator indicated a constant discharge. I freaked and reverted to my training, shutting off all unneccessary electrical devices and notified MSP center of my problem. I started picking up ice about 35 miles from FSD, but was unable to maintain altitude b/c I was @ 22" and 2400 RPM, I asked approach for lower about 20 miles out of FSD and desended to 3400', but my airspeed kept bleeding off b/c I had about 1" of ice on the leading edges. By this time I had it fire-walled and was at 2500RPM, and was given vectors for a priority approach. 10 miles out I picked up the localizer and was set up for the RNWY 3 approach. Throughout the approach I was @ 2600RPM and firewalled to maintain 90KTS. Landed safely, and about 15 minutes after I landed it started snowing. Big pucker factor that evening. Turned out the bracket that holds the alternator catastrophically failed and wrecked the wiring to the alternator. Moral of the story? Check the FAA's advisory circulars prior to a long X-country.

Second happened on Wednesday of this week. I picked up my dad @ MIC and was flying to FSD in IMC @ 8000' (again). The TAF was calling for rain showers in FSD 30 min prior to our arrival whatdoyaknow, we hit them dead on about 45 miles out of FSD. In cruise flight we were caught in a 1500fpm downdraft that took us from 8000' to 4000' faster than I could pitch back to maintain altitude. Freaked me out, moral of the story? Ask for vectors around the shitty weather prior to flying into it (or check your stormscope if appropriately equiped).

I hope to see what stories are out there.

John

 

[Valion310]

Still waiting for mine to happen, but I'll post it when it does. I start flaps, cross country's, cross country solo's, local solo's and night flights this coming week, so the chances of gremlins is slightly increasing. I've been chair flying the crapola out of flights so I know what I'm doing the next day. Frumby is a god for suggesting the yo-yo!! LOL I've gotten a bunch of my procedures memorized using it.

Hmmm ... here is a huge lesson I learned today actually. My short final approaches have been a bit low. The guy who did my stage 1 check ride said he hadn't been in approaches that low for about five years, (something great to hear approaching 40 ft at 70 kt during a check ride, someone should invent ejection seats for 172's.) Anyway, so I've been working on them A LOT and now my approaches in the glide slope are great. Well, he decided he wanted to do some bounce drills during another stage 1 check ride today, a nice thing for him to throw in considering my IP did not do those with me before. So I ended up doing a REALLY flat landing and almost did a bounce that would have landed me on my nose strut if I didn't flare hard and ended up sinking the rear a bit hard and we got a nice jolt when the mains touched down. Needless to say, I kicked my own butt for that on the way around the pattern and the rest of my approaches and landings were as good as they get for my skill level. But I never EVER really relized how important the pitch angle is during the flare and touch down. I passed the check ride today and outside of that had a great flight, but I think that is something I will never ever forget.

Valion310 turning Section 8 watching the last 20 min's of work go by - AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

hey guys, if you had an accident would you stop flying??...i think i would, at least stop flying at the school i was at..yesterday i almost hydroplaned off the runway (due to the torrential rain) onto the grass after breaking out at 500ft..i thought about it and if i had an accident i dont think i could show my face in the flight school again, i just imagined how embarassed i would be...

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

wow, great stories,,i know its true good pilots get into bad situations and i am just trying to learn from these experiences

 

[ghost_ttu]

This isn't too bad but I'll put it here just because it will give someone something to think about if it happens.

My 2nd solo I was coming back from the practice area tried to talk to the tower and "silence" Honestly the first thing through my mind is my instructor told them to ignore me (found out later that was illegal so he couldn't do that). I circled the airport 800' above pattern and waited for it to open up and I entered the pattern and got a light gun to land. Things done wrong I didn't squawk 7600. Also, once I got on the ground I found that the PTT had gone out, had I tried to switch my headsets to the passenger side of the plane and talk on that side it would have worked. Just taught me to start thinking outside the box and explore all your options when you have time to do so.

"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."

 

[ghost_ttu]

Pat, since you will be in OCS can I borrow your bag of experience for awhile? I'll give it back!.......after flight school []

By the way GATORS SUCK! and the whole state of Iowa is on my shit list at the moment

"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."

 

[tali264]

awwwwwwww, did poor Texas Tech get their asses kicked by some Iowans???? []

 

[ghost_ttu]

Iowa was dipping in Pat's lucky bag and that's the only thing that saved their ass. How the hell do we turn the ball over 3 times?

"praying to the SNA board gods couldn't hurt...."

 

[Rainman]

Yeah, well all my Georgia talk is gonna catch up with me in. . . . 5 4 3 2 1 .. well, as soon as he sobers up. DOH! Must have been the lucky red pants.

 

[Valion310]

I wouldn't ... I'd walk in with a patch on my chest ["Crash"]. (Funny, I told them that was my nickname from the guys in my squadron when I was active duty and everyone in the FBO looked at me like I was nuts.)

Valion310 out-

Originally posted by Adrenaline Rush
hey guys, if you had an accident would you stop flying??...i think i would, at least stop flying at the school i was at..yesterday i almost hydroplaned off the runway (due to the torrential rain) onto the grass after breaking out at 500ft..i thought about it and if i had an accident i dont think i could show my face in the flight school again, i just imagined how embarassed i would be...

 

[Valion310]

Ya know what the thing that I've seen is when we were on cruise, we'd get a jet on the cat and it would launch. Well the entire maintenance crew that worked that jet plus half the cat operating crew watchs to make sure the gears come up. I've seen a few gears not come up and I dunno, it probably isn't that serious since they can just blow them down and land. But seeing one of our jets circling directly overhead for 30 minutes with two mounts down, tail hook down and just stuck up there, I hated that, it gave me a sick feeling. Especially being a PC, thats like seeing your daughter sitting in a hospital bed or something.

We had a Tomcat that was doing CQ's out on the Roosy and we were along the eastern sea board in Feb. So really crappy weather and bad bad seas, really heavy fog and sleet too. Everyone was going about their flight deck duties and this sucker came in fast (I think the pilot was a Nugget), trapped and as soon as the hook grabbed the wire the aft end rose up hard and slammed the Tomcat on the deck, both main mounts dropped and everything callapsed. I've never seen a flight deck move that fast to get out of the way, hearing that sound made every bone in my body freeze in terror. I've never seen a flight deck move that fast to get two pilots out of the cockpit and get the jet secure.
I ended up being on the crew carrying three of our guys below decks to get them cleaned up from a few light injury's. I think everyone left up in the pattern and around the ship had to divert to their bingo on the beach cause the LA was closed for the rest of the day trying to get everything cleaned up and get the Tomcat out of the LA.

Valion310 is disliking how cold Colorado is getting .... [xx(]

 

[Frumby]

Now this is a question that I would really like to answer. As an old Aviation Safety Officer (NAZI) I believe there is no better learning tool then listening to others experiences. All pilots have egos but an ego in the cockpit will get you or someone else killed so if you have an "Helmet Fire" or old man "Murphy" comes knocking on your door then TEACH OTHERS!
As an SNA:
There I was in my trusty A-4 Skyhawk preparing to go out for my last CQ on Big Ike. I was a stud! I had over 200 hours, I was flying jets and had this one last flight to get my wings. We were on a CQ det in Key West and I couldn't wait to get back to do the "Duvall crawl" that night. My CO was to lead the division out to the ship. I was going to be Dash 3. We briefed a very vague brief and really never discussed the weather. The brief went something like this: Your -2, -3, and your -4. Everything is SOP so pull up, shut up and follow me to the ship. If you have a problem you'll go back to Key West. Questions? The launch and rdvz went without a hitch (suprising for anyone who has seen a 4 plane with 3 SNA solos). Next thing I knew we were surrounded by thunderstorms and bouncing wildly. I can only remember how tense I was bouncing like crazy but having to tuck in tight to keep sight. After 30 minutes of flying, I realized that the CO was doing nothing but circling looking for a hole and we were only about 30 miles from Key West. He decided to drop off me and Dash 4 and then he was going to press for the ship. He knew he would have probably scraped the two of us off. The weather was extremely below mins for SNA solos. He dropped us off in 5 minute intervals (no lead quals for SNAs) and we picked up IFR clearances back to NAVY. By now the weather had begun to deteriorate at Key West so we both beat feet back to Key West. As I entered the intial, I heard -4 say "I'm departing to reenter the intial." I thought he was crazy. The weather was crap and we were really tired and he's goofing around in the pattern. Whatever. I entered the right break at 400 knots and I as soon as I pulled back on the stick the nose did an abrupt nose slice toward the deck. All I remember is unloading stick, throwing my throttle to MRT(Full power) and flying optimum AOA. Literally, instinct took over. I heard my RADALT go off (my bug was set at 450' AGL) I looked down and swear I saw 200'. As I arrested the VSI and go positive rate of climb, sucked up the gear and flaps and told tower I was departing for the initial. What happened was simple, foolish and a lack of experience. Both of us did the exact same thing as we entered the break, we never check our fuel gauges. We had only been flying for 30 minutes at max endurance so we still had over 2000 lbs of gas still left in our drop tanks. I departed, turned on my dumps and spread about 2,000 lbs of JP-4 over the Carribbean. Gas in the drops for landing is bad "ju-ju" in the TA-4J. Reentered the break and made an uneventful landing. Essentially, I entered an accelerated stall because I had little g available due to my weight. She fell like a rock. I never had to think about how to recover from the stall. I had done so many stall recoveries in Fam's and ACM that it was second nature. Why did I enter the break in foul weather instead of a visual straight in. Stupidity? Maybe so but I believe the big culprit was that was exactly how I did it in just about ever flight in the A-4. I had never flown an instrument approach from the front seat and only 1 visual straight in during FAM's. I also accepted a pathetic brief and never looked at the weather myself or thought the flight through from start to finish. Remember that everyone involved in Aviation is out to kill you. Not literally of course but people can put you in a bad situation if you aren't smart and ask questions. Not once did I "What if" the flight. I was just fat, dumb and happy to fly my 20 million dollar training aid to land on the 4 billion dollar training aid. I thought more about partying then my flight. It damn near cost me my life. Remember, I was just a student....More to follow in later posts!

Attack Pilot
Major USMC

 

[Valion310]

Hey all, I thought this would be a good question for this thread. I spend almost all my time in the books, chair flying, talking radio comm's to myself when I'm driving or walking around by myself, some flash carding, reviewing each flight the night before, in the test books and an online FAA test site doing practice tests and everything else I can think of to gain, absorb and understand as much knowledge as I can. Yet I still feel like I'm not remembering everything I should be remembering.

My question is this feeling normal in the beginning stages of ground school/weather/sims/actual flying when everything is so front loaded? How did some of you all cope with that feeling? Did things balance out in the end as you were taking things from the books and applying them into the cockpit?

At times I get so internally frustrated in the cockpit cause I get the feeling I'm always forgetting something. My IP says I've got some of the best skills he's seen in a while and I'm progressing really well (with the exception of losing my first IP and some cruddy weather that cancelled two weeks of flights ... snort!). I work to be stone cold in the cockpit and anticipate, apply and keep safty as my number one priority, but I just feel like there is something I should be doing or knowing that I'm not remembering.

I dunno, any thoughts?

Valion310 needing a coffee IV right now - midterms - EJECT!!!

 

[grouch]

Yeh I've got some thoughts. Thats normal. I remember for the first 15 hours or so I would always forget the carb heat on the little 52. Worse yet, I couldn't tell ya what the hell it did. That passed and something else replaced it. That too passed and was replaced. I did have that lost feeling a bunch no matter how much I studied. How I delt with it was unconventional. I took a couple of weeks off from flying due to school and I didn't think about anything flight related. When I can back, I suprised myself how well I did. All that thinking and training goes somewhere in your head and pops out when you need it. Take some time off and let it set in.