When you almost became... "Another Statistic"
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I had some fun and games last summer while on a solo XC.
I was transiting through some Class D airspace enroute to a smallish airfield on the other side of the zone. My workload was quite low, I knew the route well and I pretty much had the destination in sight. So I was happily flying along through the zone, continuing a lookout, monitoring the instruments, the usual things, when I start to hear a buzzing noise. Initially I thought that a door or seal had come loose, or I had gained a wasp in the cockpit. I looked down to the floor to find the source, in doing so I also partially looked down out of my side window. When I looked down I found the source of the buzz, an aircraft was just about to climb into me from directly underneath. I promptly pulled and rolled over, making a climbing turn 90 degrees off track. I also quickly blurted out, "xx Radar Gxx taking avoiding action for traffic". Air Traffic were quite good with it actually, they cleared me to a higher altitude so as to avoid the traffic by a safe margin and informed me that he wasn't actually talking to them either.
I regained my original track and headed off to my destination. Had a quick bite to eat then pushed off home...where I collected my AS level results in the afternoon....a real fun day!
ASI
I was transiting through some Class D airspace enroute to a smallish airfield on the other side of the zone. My workload was quite low, I knew the route well and I pretty much had the destination in sight. So I was happily flying along through the zone, continuing a lookout, monitoring the instruments, the usual things, when I start to hear a buzzing noise. Initially I thought that a door or seal had come loose, or I had gained a wasp in the cockpit. I looked down to the floor to find the source, in doing so I also partially looked down out of my side window. When I looked down I found the source of the buzz, an aircraft was just about to climb into me from directly underneath. I promptly pulled and rolled over, making a climbing turn 90 degrees off track. I also quickly blurted out, "xx Radar Gxx taking avoiding action for traffic". Air Traffic were quite good with it actually, they cleared me to a higher altitude so as to avoid the traffic by a safe margin and informed me that he wasn't actually talking to them either.
I regained my original track and headed off to my destination. Had a quick bite to eat then pushed off home...where I collected my AS level results in the afternoon....a real fun day!
ASI
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1 engine failure due to carb icing, in an RF4 with no carb heat control.... That came just a few minutes after a near head-on collision as I was descending at low power (and making ice), and a flexwing microlight was climbing steeply towards me. I saw him at the very last moment, and I'm sure he never saw me at all.
Had another very near miss once with a black PA28.
Was a passenger in a Jodel that crashed on landing. I've been a big fan of 4 point harnesses ever since!
In the "totally stupid mistakes that I can't possibly blame on anyone else" category, I too have done the "mixture heat" mistake - fortunately on the ground while being checked out on a Beagle Pup. And the one that could have been nasty was very soon after getting my PPL. I'd been following a written checklist, and must have got distracted 'cos I didn't check the canopy was closed. Fortunately I noticed just as I was lining up to take-off. I was in a Slingsby with a single piece rear-hinged canopy, and a happy outcome would have been most unlikely. I use memory checks now instead of relying on a written checklist, where it's too easy to miss a line by mistake.
Had another very near miss once with a black PA28.
Was a passenger in a Jodel that crashed on landing. I've been a big fan of 4 point harnesses ever since!
In the "totally stupid mistakes that I can't possibly blame on anyone else" category, I too have done the "mixture heat" mistake - fortunately on the ground while being checked out on a Beagle Pup. And the one that could have been nasty was very soon after getting my PPL. I'd been following a written checklist, and must have got distracted 'cos I didn't check the canopy was closed. Fortunately I noticed just as I was lining up to take-off. I was in a Slingsby with a single piece rear-hinged canopy, and a happy outcome would have been most unlikely. I use memory checks now instead of relying on a written checklist, where it's too easy to miss a line by mistake.
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There was a really dumb thing about my Lean Cut incident. Earlier in the day, getting in to the Robin for the first time after doing all my PPL stuff in a Warrior where the controls are very distinct, I said to the instructor...
"That's an interesting place to put the lean cut, right next to the carb heat."
"That's an interesting place to put the lean cut, right next to the carb heat."
PINKS WORLD THROUGH ROSE COLOURED SPECS
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Location: Happy and content again back in the house on the beach ,baking on the AGA and flying around my highland home . emmmmmmmm
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UNTIDY MAP .
Being a student nearing the end of her PPL course ,
I tuned into this thread ,to read ,learn and so hopefully avoid making the same mistakes .
IT is very informaive .
The only errrrrrrrr problem I have encountered so far, a "near miss " not with anothe aircraft ,but the throttle and the mixtuure control .
It was on my QXC SOLO , and my MAP was not folded correctly (have since learnt how to do it properly , or at least UNDERSTAND NOW the importance of having it folded properly .)
I was on the radio being asked to report abeam HELMSDALE.
"could I see HELMSDALE , ? no I couldn't ,
(it was actually right on the crease of the map )
ANY WAY ,I was actaully dodging the lowering cloud base as well as , trying to turn the map over , inside out and back to front and refold it , all with my right hand over the right hand seat and head space of a PA 38 ,and look out and fly ,
WHAT I suddely noticed was I nearly KNOCKED , yes KNOCKED , THE MIXTURE AND THE THROTTLE with the force of the map ,
Immossible IT may seem , but it very nearly happened .
NEVER again , my map will now be folded small and neat .
just thought I would add that snippet .
oh
I did find HELSMDALE .
THE PINKSTER
I tuned into this thread ,to read ,learn and so hopefully avoid making the same mistakes .
IT is very informaive .
The only errrrrrrrr problem I have encountered so far, a "near miss " not with anothe aircraft ,but the throttle and the mixtuure control .
It was on my QXC SOLO , and my MAP was not folded correctly (have since learnt how to do it properly , or at least UNDERSTAND NOW the importance of having it folded properly .)
I was on the radio being asked to report abeam HELMSDALE.
"could I see HELMSDALE , ? no I couldn't ,
(it was actually right on the crease of the map )
ANY WAY ,I was actaully dodging the lowering cloud base as well as , trying to turn the map over , inside out and back to front and refold it , all with my right hand over the right hand seat and head space of a PA 38 ,and look out and fly ,
WHAT I suddely noticed was I nearly KNOCKED , yes KNOCKED , THE MIXTURE AND THE THROTTLE with the force of the map ,
Immossible IT may seem , but it very nearly happened .
NEVER again , my map will now be folded small and neat .
just thought I would add that snippet .
oh
I did find HELSMDALE .
THE PINKSTER
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Two tales to tell, both while PPL training:
First off, crosswind landings. I was coming into land in C152 with my instructor. The usual drill, flare ..... rudder, only I pushed the rudder the wrong way! It was the roughest landing ever and had we not been in a 152 with its forgiving spring leaf suspension, it would have been worse. Four years on, everytime I land in a crosswind, I push the rudder with about a mile to go, just to check.
Second, on from what 18greens said about being in the traffic pattern, I had a real airprox downwind. It was only my second solo flight and was flying downwind doing my checks at 1000´minding my own business. Over the radio, I heard a pilot wanting to overfly the field at 2000´and was cleared to do so. About a minute later a C152 passed about 50m infront of me in a very steep climbing turn ...... it was the pilot cleared to overfly. I was on the left so maybe I should have given way but I never saw him until he was right infront of me. I checked my altimeter and I was at 1000´which was the circuit height.
When I got back on the ground, one of the guys from the school saw it all and I was seriously shaken by it. I never reported it to ATC at the time - I was too shocked. It was at a busy commercial field too and with hindsight, I should have made a call immediately.
AF
First off, crosswind landings. I was coming into land in C152 with my instructor. The usual drill, flare ..... rudder, only I pushed the rudder the wrong way! It was the roughest landing ever and had we not been in a 152 with its forgiving spring leaf suspension, it would have been worse. Four years on, everytime I land in a crosswind, I push the rudder with about a mile to go, just to check.
Second, on from what 18greens said about being in the traffic pattern, I had a real airprox downwind. It was only my second solo flight and was flying downwind doing my checks at 1000´minding my own business. Over the radio, I heard a pilot wanting to overfly the field at 2000´and was cleared to do so. About a minute later a C152 passed about 50m infront of me in a very steep climbing turn ...... it was the pilot cleared to overfly. I was on the left so maybe I should have given way but I never saw him until he was right infront of me. I checked my altimeter and I was at 1000´which was the circuit height.
When I got back on the ground, one of the guys from the school saw it all and I was seriously shaken by it. I never reported it to ATC at the time - I was too shocked. It was at a busy commercial field too and with hindsight, I should have made a call immediately.
AF
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These are great stories, I hope that you guys take the time to tell them at some of your local flight schools so that those new prospective pilots, can learn from your mistakes. As a controller I try to share experiences with new pilots so that, First they don't fear controllers, and secondly can learn that if it doesn't sound right, it probably isn't right so say something.
Education is the key to KNOWLEDGE, so share your experiences, so that others don't try to repeat them.
Mike
NATCA FWA
Education is the key to KNOWLEDGE, so share your experiences, so that others don't try to repeat them.
Mike
NATCA FWA
Why do it if it's not fun?
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Thief,
Yes, it really does happen to all of us. Can I take the thread on a slight tangent, though, and ask why you didn't talk to your instructor about these? Since I'm a student instructor at the moment, I'm particularly interested in the way students and instructors interact, and what I can do, as a future instructor, to get my future students to be as open with me about their flying as possible.
For example, has your instructor ever been chatting to you in the bar and talked about any f*$)-up's that he's made? Would you have been more likely to talk to him about your own mistakes if you'd known that he'd made the same mistakes once upon time?
As for me, I don't really know where to start.
- Mis-identifying ground features and thus busting controlled airspace (twice).
- Forgetting to raise flaps after take-off and flying a whole navigation leg, near enough, with flaps down (hence over-speeding the flaps) - twice. And, even worse, not reporting it so that the flaps could be checked by an engineer.
- Taking off in poor visibility for a cross-country. The forecast was for the weather to improve to the north, but a simple phone-call to my destination would have told me that the forecast was wrong, and saved me having to divert. It was, I think, three days before the weather improved and I could bring the aircraft home.
- Flying when far too tired. Result was running off the runway and bending the undercarriage.
- The common one (on this thread, at least) of pulling the mixture instead of the throttle.
- Getting back into an aircraft with a carb-heat control, after many hours of flying aircraft without one, and completely forgetting to use it.
- Flying the wrong way in the circuit. Or flying the circuit on the wrong side of the airfield.
Probably quite a few more that have slipped my mind for the moment. I think that the frequency with which I make these mistakes is reducing as I gain experience, but I'm a very long way off not making mistakes. In fact, I doubt anyone ever gets to that point. The important thing, though, is to learn from them - which I why the ones I am most embarassed about are the ones that I've done more than once. And which is also why I think it's important, especially for students, that we talk about our mistakes with an instructor or another pilot.
FFF
---------------
Yes, it really does happen to all of us. Can I take the thread on a slight tangent, though, and ask why you didn't talk to your instructor about these? Since I'm a student instructor at the moment, I'm particularly interested in the way students and instructors interact, and what I can do, as a future instructor, to get my future students to be as open with me about their flying as possible.
For example, has your instructor ever been chatting to you in the bar and talked about any f*$)-up's that he's made? Would you have been more likely to talk to him about your own mistakes if you'd known that he'd made the same mistakes once upon time?
As for me, I don't really know where to start.
- Mis-identifying ground features and thus busting controlled airspace (twice).
- Forgetting to raise flaps after take-off and flying a whole navigation leg, near enough, with flaps down (hence over-speeding the flaps) - twice. And, even worse, not reporting it so that the flaps could be checked by an engineer.
- Taking off in poor visibility for a cross-country. The forecast was for the weather to improve to the north, but a simple phone-call to my destination would have told me that the forecast was wrong, and saved me having to divert. It was, I think, three days before the weather improved and I could bring the aircraft home.
- Flying when far too tired. Result was running off the runway and bending the undercarriage.
- The common one (on this thread, at least) of pulling the mixture instead of the throttle.
- Getting back into an aircraft with a carb-heat control, after many hours of flying aircraft without one, and completely forgetting to use it.
- Flying the wrong way in the circuit. Or flying the circuit on the wrong side of the airfield.
Probably quite a few more that have slipped my mind for the moment. I think that the frequency with which I make these mistakes is reducing as I gain experience, but I'm a very long way off not making mistakes. In fact, I doubt anyone ever gets to that point. The important thing, though, is to learn from them - which I why the ones I am most embarassed about are the ones that I've done more than once. And which is also why I think it's important, especially for students, that we talk about our mistakes with an instructor or another pilot.
FFF
---------------
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A couple from my recent memory
Flying back home after a day trip oop north, the timing was already tight to get back before SS+30. So I rushed the checks, did a half-hearted run up and took off. I noticed in the cruise that I wasn't making my normal speeds but couldn't see the problem. It was only after I landed that I noticed I'd flown the whole way on 1 magneto. So I was late back, had to use an unapproved NDB approach (which I didn't have a plate for) to find the field, the airfield was shut and had no lights but I landed anyway. Won't do that again in a hurry.
Scud-running. I got caught between rising ground and cloud in a valley once and had a tight turn to get out - I did find another valley to get me back to where I wanted to be but, as a result was rather closer to some houses than the 500ft rule would require.
Each time, a lesson was learned and that's what counts. And not getting caught, of course.
Flying back home after a day trip oop north, the timing was already tight to get back before SS+30. So I rushed the checks, did a half-hearted run up and took off. I noticed in the cruise that I wasn't making my normal speeds but couldn't see the problem. It was only after I landed that I noticed I'd flown the whole way on 1 magneto. So I was late back, had to use an unapproved NDB approach (which I didn't have a plate for) to find the field, the airfield was shut and had no lights but I landed anyway. Won't do that again in a hurry.
Scud-running. I got caught between rising ground and cloud in a valley once and had a tight turn to get out - I did find another valley to get me back to where I wanted to be but, as a result was rather closer to some houses than the 500ft rule would require.
Each time, a lesson was learned and that's what counts. And not getting caught, of course.
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Here’s a story for you.
I had to go to Exeter for a meeting with a certain airline. Naturally (well you do don't you?), I think to myself the forecast is good I’ll fly save either having to stay over or get up way early in order to drive (you all know the rationale).
So I book an a/c and as I’ll be setting off quite early, ask that the tanks be topped off (the fuel pumps won’t be open at that time).
Next morning bright and early. The weather is as advertised, "splendid" thinks I "this’ll be better than being in the office". I arrive to be told that the "tanks are not quite full" but the aircraft had only been used “for a 30 minute trial lesson last night..and they were pretty much full before that. You’ll be fine for Exeter and back”.
Even after I check the tanks and they don’t look anywhere near that full – I think “well xxxxx is an examiner after all, he knows what he’s talking about. I’ll carry on”. Mistake number one.. taking somebody else’s word for it when that word disagrees with evidence of your own eyes. No matter how experienced or qualified that person is we are all human and capable of mistakes. Dumb.
Anyhow I set off into a glorious summer’s morning and head west. Here come’s dumb idea number two… blatting along at FL40 I notice that there is an increasing undercast and the bits of ground I can see are getting smaller and smaller – but thinks I if “I just dog leg over to the sea I’ll re-establish surface contact – as it happens I was right, but still not the best idea in the world ( the sea not being the best means of visual navigation - one wave looking much like another) I manage to find Exeter thanks to a combination of good guess work and a timely vector from Exeter twr – It just so happened that I had set the ILS at EXE on Nav 1 – but of course I was VFR the whole time…honest. Stupid
Do the work thing and getting ready to head back to ranch I’m accosted by two colleagues who want a lift back… “no problem” says I, “you won’t have a headsets so it’ll be a bit loud but you’re welcome”.
Mistake 3 coming up…I do the visual fuel check pre-flight thing and the tanks look more than a bit low but with the comments from earlier in the day still in mind (“it’s an only a half hour off full you’ll have plenty to get to Exeter and back”) I make the next error.. I don’t add any fuel…Dumb and Dumber.
Load up pax and set off into what is now a very pleasant afternoon – it’s really the kind of weather we all dream about. Anyhow, blatting along all is well, one of the pax has even stopped sightseeing and fallen asleep. I’m about Bournemouth when I start to get concerned with the look of the fuel gauges (and we all know how accurate they are) and start thinking about a tech stop for a bit more motion lotion.
Here it is... mistake four (and the one that could really screw the pooch). Even though I’m practically overhead Bournemouth I decide not to land there (put off by the rather erm…pricy landing fees) and instead elect to continue to Goodwood. dumb and dumberer
I get to the Goodwood overhead just starting the deadside turn when…cough cough…ooh err missus… a quick call to request priority landing (rough running engine I said) and an even quicker change of tank to the Up hill one (I’m in the turn deadside remember) and power appears restored to the mill. Fly tighter than tight circuit and come over the fence a bit on the hot side. Mange to wash off the excess speed and get the thing planted and stopped. Breathe big sigh of relief taxi to pumps and shut down. Asleep pax wakes up and says “Is this Shoreham? That looks like Goodwood racecourse up there... and did you know there's a fire engine following us”.
Filling the tanks to tabs reveals a chilling fact: I had about a gallon of usable fuel left – that’s about 6 and a bit minutes at leaned cruise settings…in other words WAAAAAAYYYY to close to the wire.
As I’m sure you might imagine that caused me to stop and consider the meaning of life for a while…OK quite probably given the line of route I’d have been able to execute Forced landing there are plenty of good spots in the area that I’d have been in when it would have gone quiet…but do I really want to find out?
OK lessons learnt :
1. Don’t ever take anybody’s opinion no matter who they are check for yourself and if you don’t agree... act accordingly.
2. The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire. Never ever ever pass up the chance to add fuel (or go the the lavatory also good advice)
3. Never ever let financial considerations take precedence over safety – Once I decided to land and re-fuel I should have immediately and s-d the landing fee. (it was only seven quid more not alot when you think about it).
4. Do PFLs more often …practice makes perfect – I used practically every metre of what is quite a long runway (relitively) getting down and stopped – because of a mismanaged approach. I suspect I mismanaged the approach because of a combination of a) having not done a PFL for a while and b) the concern that I’d lose the donk any time – either way I’m sure if I’d done PFLs more recently then I’d have been more comfortable with both the aircraft’s performance and my own.
5. (linked to cock up two) don’t allow yourself to get suckered into continuing into weather that you are less than happy with…OK I was confident that I’d re-establish surface contact over the sea (and I did) and the ATIS was indicating acceptable conditions at the destination (which got better) but even so, positioning for base I needed to scud run over terrain that rises 800 odd feet ASL…not clever
Oh and one more thing…when you read AAIB reports and you think to yourself “blimey I would have done that or allowed myself to get into that situation”. Beware... you can, and if like me on this particular summers day you don’t look for the warning signs, you will. The only thing that kept this tale a hangar flying story rather than an AAIB report was luck...
Some other stuff
Had one time when a bloke got confused about which side was deadside and was really close as I bimbled along on downwind...that was a pitter pat moment
Then there was a time in an Arrer when a main gear was initally reluctant to come down - that concentrated the mind...
I had to go to Exeter for a meeting with a certain airline. Naturally (well you do don't you?), I think to myself the forecast is good I’ll fly save either having to stay over or get up way early in order to drive (you all know the rationale).
So I book an a/c and as I’ll be setting off quite early, ask that the tanks be topped off (the fuel pumps won’t be open at that time).
Next morning bright and early. The weather is as advertised, "splendid" thinks I "this’ll be better than being in the office". I arrive to be told that the "tanks are not quite full" but the aircraft had only been used “for a 30 minute trial lesson last night..and they were pretty much full before that. You’ll be fine for Exeter and back”.
Even after I check the tanks and they don’t look anywhere near that full – I think “well xxxxx is an examiner after all, he knows what he’s talking about. I’ll carry on”. Mistake number one.. taking somebody else’s word for it when that word disagrees with evidence of your own eyes. No matter how experienced or qualified that person is we are all human and capable of mistakes. Dumb.
Anyhow I set off into a glorious summer’s morning and head west. Here come’s dumb idea number two… blatting along at FL40 I notice that there is an increasing undercast and the bits of ground I can see are getting smaller and smaller – but thinks I if “I just dog leg over to the sea I’ll re-establish surface contact – as it happens I was right, but still not the best idea in the world ( the sea not being the best means of visual navigation - one wave looking much like another) I manage to find Exeter thanks to a combination of good guess work and a timely vector from Exeter twr – It just so happened that I had set the ILS at EXE on Nav 1 – but of course I was VFR the whole time…honest. Stupid
Do the work thing and getting ready to head back to ranch I’m accosted by two colleagues who want a lift back… “no problem” says I, “you won’t have a headsets so it’ll be a bit loud but you’re welcome”.
Mistake 3 coming up…I do the visual fuel check pre-flight thing and the tanks look more than a bit low but with the comments from earlier in the day still in mind (“it’s an only a half hour off full you’ll have plenty to get to Exeter and back”) I make the next error.. I don’t add any fuel…Dumb and Dumber.
Load up pax and set off into what is now a very pleasant afternoon – it’s really the kind of weather we all dream about. Anyhow, blatting along all is well, one of the pax has even stopped sightseeing and fallen asleep. I’m about Bournemouth when I start to get concerned with the look of the fuel gauges (and we all know how accurate they are) and start thinking about a tech stop for a bit more motion lotion.
Here it is... mistake four (and the one that could really screw the pooch). Even though I’m practically overhead Bournemouth I decide not to land there (put off by the rather erm…pricy landing fees) and instead elect to continue to Goodwood. dumb and dumberer
I get to the Goodwood overhead just starting the deadside turn when…cough cough…ooh err missus… a quick call to request priority landing (rough running engine I said) and an even quicker change of tank to the Up hill one (I’m in the turn deadside remember) and power appears restored to the mill. Fly tighter than tight circuit and come over the fence a bit on the hot side. Mange to wash off the excess speed and get the thing planted and stopped. Breathe big sigh of relief taxi to pumps and shut down. Asleep pax wakes up and says “Is this Shoreham? That looks like Goodwood racecourse up there... and did you know there's a fire engine following us”.
Filling the tanks to tabs reveals a chilling fact: I had about a gallon of usable fuel left – that’s about 6 and a bit minutes at leaned cruise settings…in other words WAAAAAAYYYY to close to the wire.
As I’m sure you might imagine that caused me to stop and consider the meaning of life for a while…OK quite probably given the line of route I’d have been able to execute Forced landing there are plenty of good spots in the area that I’d have been in when it would have gone quiet…but do I really want to find out?
OK lessons learnt :
1. Don’t ever take anybody’s opinion no matter who they are check for yourself and if you don’t agree... act accordingly.
2. The only time you have too much fuel is when you are on fire. Never ever ever pass up the chance to add fuel (or go the the lavatory also good advice)
3. Never ever let financial considerations take precedence over safety – Once I decided to land and re-fuel I should have immediately and s-d the landing fee. (it was only seven quid more not alot when you think about it).
4. Do PFLs more often …practice makes perfect – I used practically every metre of what is quite a long runway (relitively) getting down and stopped – because of a mismanaged approach. I suspect I mismanaged the approach because of a combination of a) having not done a PFL for a while and b) the concern that I’d lose the donk any time – either way I’m sure if I’d done PFLs more recently then I’d have been more comfortable with both the aircraft’s performance and my own.
5. (linked to cock up two) don’t allow yourself to get suckered into continuing into weather that you are less than happy with…OK I was confident that I’d re-establish surface contact over the sea (and I did) and the ATIS was indicating acceptable conditions at the destination (which got better) but even so, positioning for base I needed to scud run over terrain that rises 800 odd feet ASL…not clever
Oh and one more thing…when you read AAIB reports and you think to yourself “blimey I would have done that or allowed myself to get into that situation”. Beware... you can, and if like me on this particular summers day you don’t look for the warning signs, you will. The only thing that kept this tale a hangar flying story rather than an AAIB report was luck...
Some other stuff
Had one time when a bloke got confused about which side was deadside and was really close as I bimbled along on downwind...that was a pitter pat moment
Then there was a time in an Arrer when a main gear was initally reluctant to come down - that concentrated the mind...
Last edited by Ace Rimmer; 8th Mar 2004 at 18:55.
to sail beyond the sunset
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Interesting to read of the Mixture / Carb Heat confusion among students
Been there, done that.
Is my memory failing or were the two exactly the same shape and colour on a Rallye 100?
I quite liked Rallye's otherwise, even if they do look like something Noddy would fly.
Thiel13X,
I have two experiences of the feeling of panic when you realise that you are in the wrong place in the circuit. The first one was many years ago when a was stressed by sharing the circuit with a BAC 111 which was doing all kinds of things like simulated elevator failure and pitot calibration. The viz was pretty poor and all this resulted in me landing on the wrong runway.
More recently I was landing at Lands End and, after a perfect overhead join and downwind leg, I turned onto the wrong runway. For those who don't know it, Lands End has four grass runways and two of them are 12/30 and 03/21. To add to the confusion, the numbers were not easy to see until you were in line. Although I had set the DI bug to runway heading I still managed to turn onto 35 instead of 30.
When advised by ATC of my error I started a go around and then had to fight moments of shear panic before I worked out what to do. There was another aircraft in the circuit which also helped to start the panic.
However, I did manage to sort it out and then make a reasonable landing. Judging from the banter as I paid the landing fee I gathered that I am far from being the first one to make this mistake at Lands End. They told me that they were considering buying an old aircraft carrier and mooring it offshore so that it would always be pointing into wind. They obviously don't know anything about tides. I suggested that all they needed to do was to increase the font size for the runway numbers.
I have two experiences of the feeling of panic when you realise that you are in the wrong place in the circuit. The first one was many years ago when a was stressed by sharing the circuit with a BAC 111 which was doing all kinds of things like simulated elevator failure and pitot calibration. The viz was pretty poor and all this resulted in me landing on the wrong runway.
More recently I was landing at Lands End and, after a perfect overhead join and downwind leg, I turned onto the wrong runway. For those who don't know it, Lands End has four grass runways and two of them are 12/30 and 03/21. To add to the confusion, the numbers were not easy to see until you were in line. Although I had set the DI bug to runway heading I still managed to turn onto 35 instead of 30.
When advised by ATC of my error I started a go around and then had to fight moments of shear panic before I worked out what to do. There was another aircraft in the circuit which also helped to start the panic.
However, I did manage to sort it out and then make a reasonable landing. Judging from the banter as I paid the landing fee I gathered that I am far from being the first one to make this mistake at Lands End. They told me that they were considering buying an old aircraft carrier and mooring it offshore so that it would always be pointing into wind. They obviously don't know anything about tides. I suggested that all they needed to do was to increase the font size for the runway numbers.
The Original Whirly
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Phew, that's a lot of people mixing up carb heat and mixture control. 
In the R22, there's a guard for the mixture to prevent you doing that. Sounds like f/w aircraft could do with the same thing.
I bet the powers that be don't know how often this happens. When I had a governor-related incident in the R22 - probably turned it off with my sleeve, though I was never sure - a very experienced instructor and Air Accident Investigator asked me if I would be willing to CHIRP it and also send in a MOR. The reason - he'd been saying for ages that the position of the governor switch in the R22 was causing problems. Everyone who flew it knew - I'd turned it off with my sleeve three times, and I only had 100 hours at the time - but the CAA said they had no record of any governor related incidents!!!
What's the betting this carb heat/mixture confusion isn't known about either. Seriously, folks, maybe we should be reporting some of these. It could help pilots of the future, and maybe get things changed that need changing.
In the R22, there's a guard for the mixture to prevent you doing that. Sounds like f/w aircraft could do with the same thing.I bet the powers that be don't know how often this happens. When I had a governor-related incident in the R22 - probably turned it off with my sleeve, though I was never sure - a very experienced instructor and Air Accident Investigator asked me if I would be willing to CHIRP it and also send in a MOR. The reason - he'd been saying for ages that the position of the governor switch in the R22 was causing problems. Everyone who flew it knew - I'd turned it off with my sleeve three times, and I only had 100 hours at the time - but the CAA said they had no record of any governor related incidents!!!
What's the betting this carb heat/mixture confusion isn't known about either. Seriously, folks, maybe we should be reporting some of these. It could help pilots of the future, and maybe get things changed that need changing.
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pulse1 - maybe Lands End should use Arial font instead of Times New Roman....
My worst moment to date also involved using the wrong runway. Before leaving for an unlicensed airfield I tried calling for PPR and to check weather, runway in use etc. but I couldn't get an answer. My flight-guide suggested that the A/G service was often unmanned so getting no answer was no great surprise.
Approaching the airfield I made the usual radio calls for traffic and joining info. This call was unanswered so again I assumed the A/G service was unmanned. I could see no other traffic in the circuit and so flew overhead to check the windsock. It appeared to favour a certain runway but there was relatively little wind.
Messing up the approach completely I opted to go around, only to find another aircraft rapidly breaking off his base leg for the conflicting runway, having seen me climb out after the go-around.
As I passed 500ft I heard a radio call to "the aircraft that has just departed easterly - you're on the old frequency. Please change to....."
Turned out that my flight guide had the old frequency, even though it was fairly new, and because I couldn't get through on the 'phone I had no opportunity to check that I had the correct one. This particular airfield has a preferred runway, to be used unless it results in a tailwind of quite a few knots. So consequently I turned up unannounced, on the wrong frequency and using the wrong runway!
After a cup of strong coffee and many apologies, I made my way home like a dog with its tail between its legs, vowing to do better pre-flight planning in the future. I beat myself up over that one for quite a while, but now just put it down to experience. To err is human, they say...
Oh, and I've also pulled the mixture to ICO in the circuit, but thankfully realised within half a second as the revs began to drop. The instructor didn't bat an eyelid, so either I was so quick he didn't notice, or more likely he thought "what a plonker" and has seen it all before....
My worst moment to date also involved using the wrong runway. Before leaving for an unlicensed airfield I tried calling for PPR and to check weather, runway in use etc. but I couldn't get an answer. My flight-guide suggested that the A/G service was often unmanned so getting no answer was no great surprise.
Approaching the airfield I made the usual radio calls for traffic and joining info. This call was unanswered so again I assumed the A/G service was unmanned. I could see no other traffic in the circuit and so flew overhead to check the windsock. It appeared to favour a certain runway but there was relatively little wind.
Messing up the approach completely I opted to go around, only to find another aircraft rapidly breaking off his base leg for the conflicting runway, having seen me climb out after the go-around.
As I passed 500ft I heard a radio call to "the aircraft that has just departed easterly - you're on the old frequency. Please change to....."
Turned out that my flight guide had the old frequency, even though it was fairly new, and because I couldn't get through on the 'phone I had no opportunity to check that I had the correct one. This particular airfield has a preferred runway, to be used unless it results in a tailwind of quite a few knots. So consequently I turned up unannounced, on the wrong frequency and using the wrong runway!
After a cup of strong coffee and many apologies, I made my way home like a dog with its tail between its legs, vowing to do better pre-flight planning in the future. I beat myself up over that one for quite a while, but now just put it down to experience. To err is human, they say...
Oh, and I've also pulled the mixture to ICO in the circuit, but thankfully realised within half a second as the revs began to drop. The instructor didn't bat an eyelid, so either I was so quick he didn't notice, or more likely he thought "what a plonker" and has seen it all before....
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I think my biggest screwup to date was my first solo land-away at Southend.
I'd not done a straight in approach before, and had I done a circuit before I would have saved myself embarrassment.
I had something of a blind spot when it came to spotting airfields. In some cases I'd practically be on top of them before I noticed them!
I was flying along when I suddenly found the airport was a lot closer and to the left than I'd been expecting. So I pulled on the carb heat (that carb heat/mixture mistake is one I've not made (yet)) and went into a glide descent doing an S curve to get on track for the runway.
I'd lost height, but I had too much speed, I did a bit of a sideslip to try and slow down, and once I got the airspeed needle back in the white arc, I put on full flap to try and slow myself down, but when I got to the runway I was still a good five knots too fast.
I realise now I SHOULD have gone around. Instead, I bounced it. Bounced it again. I was putting on the power by now, but didn't stop the wheels touching down again. This time however the extra power had slowed the descent so I didn't bounce. So I decided to stay down....
I was a bit shaken, and shameful.
I should have gone around once I realised i was going too fast.
I could have said I was unfamiliar with a straight in approach and could I do a circuit instead?
But at least I was able to identify what I'd done wrong, and had a chat with my instructor about it when I got back to base.
Another scary thing was on my last solo (building up my solo hours) when after a solo nav. down to Beachy Head I was coming back to Biggin when the cloudbase started getting lower and I had to keep ducking under it.
I was really contemplating having to turn around and head for Shoreham - but how would I have known when to?
I'd not done a straight in approach before, and had I done a circuit before I would have saved myself embarrassment.
I had something of a blind spot when it came to spotting airfields. In some cases I'd practically be on top of them before I noticed them!
I was flying along when I suddenly found the airport was a lot closer and to the left than I'd been expecting. So I pulled on the carb heat (that carb heat/mixture mistake is one I've not made (yet)) and went into a glide descent doing an S curve to get on track for the runway.
I'd lost height, but I had too much speed, I did a bit of a sideslip to try and slow down, and once I got the airspeed needle back in the white arc, I put on full flap to try and slow myself down, but when I got to the runway I was still a good five knots too fast.
I realise now I SHOULD have gone around. Instead, I bounced it. Bounced it again. I was putting on the power by now, but didn't stop the wheels touching down again. This time however the extra power had slowed the descent so I didn't bounce. So I decided to stay down....
I was a bit shaken, and shameful.
I should have gone around once I realised i was going too fast.
I could have said I was unfamiliar with a straight in approach and could I do a circuit instead?
But at least I was able to identify what I'd done wrong, and had a chat with my instructor about it when I got back to base.
Another scary thing was on my last solo (building up my solo hours) when after a solo nav. down to Beachy Head I was coming back to Biggin when the cloudbase started getting lower and I had to keep ducking under it.
I was really contemplating having to turn around and head for Shoreham - but how would I have known when to?
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This is nearly the best thread I've seen in a long time. It really helps to hear about mistakes others have had so that one can prevent the same mistake happening to them. I got my PPL nearly two years ago and I can thankfully say I've not made any major mistakes yet (I emphasis major).
A fear that I do have is making a mistake and getting into big trouble for it (a fear that comes after safety). For what kind of mistakes are you likely to get into big trouble for, i.e.:
- getting lost;
- airspace infringements;
- wrong circuit;
- causing a near miss;
- running out of fuel;
- etc.
To put it another way, is the IAA or CAA likely to take away your license for making a mistake?
A fear that I do have is making a mistake and getting into big trouble for it (a fear that comes after safety). For what kind of mistakes are you likely to get into big trouble for, i.e.:
- getting lost;
- airspace infringements;
- wrong circuit;
- causing a near miss;
- running out of fuel;
- etc.
To put it another way, is the IAA or CAA likely to take away your license for making a mistake?
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This is Penguinetta, speaking for Penguina...
Oh boy am I glad about this thread appearing! Here we go. I'm going to feel better for this:
· 1st solo navigation exercise – all was spot on until I reached the circuit area, followed the wrong motorway and narrowly missed busting airspace, thanks to someone seeing me.
· 2nd solo landaway – landed on the wrong parallel runway at Stapleford, despite lots of easy giveaways like people lining up for the other one!!! Seriously bad: a lack of preparation by both me and instructor and end result of getting into a big stress about things in the air and 'needing' to get down.
· Qualifier – wasn’t used to o/h joins (don’t do them at home field) and did everything perfectly except for joining the wrong side! Happened simply because every circuit that day I'd joined had been the other way. Was fine when I was actually downwind, just slotted in, but still brings me out in a cold sweat when I think about the descending ‘dead side’!!! :0
· Completely busted class A airspace when flying abroad. This was due to SO MANY rubbish bits of judgement:
a) I probably wasn’t fit to fly in the first place;
b) I should have insisted on getting accurate weather information instead of trusting the (incorrect) estimated wind given to me by my incredibly experienced co-flyer;
c) I knew deep down I was lost but went into denial about it, even managing to ignore the VOR creeping slowly but surely off the line because I was so convinced the wrong feature I was following was right;
d) (The most important one.) I thought that the other pilot wouldn’t let me get into trouble and was sitting like a lemon waiting for him to tell me what to do, when _I_ was flying…
Luckily ATC were nice about it, but I learnt loads from that one!
· Took on too many new things in one go, too soon after qualifying, on one flight (as per Whirlybird’s previous comments) and took my parents to visit my grandparents (serious pressure or what?!) at a strange airfield in an area I’d never been to in a 172, which I’d only just converted onto. Reverted to type – thought I was in the 152 that I’ve done most of my flying in – didn’t flare enough, landed flat and bounced it. The slight tailwind on the runway in use didn’t help either. Then I couldn’t climb away on the go around because I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to correct any sink resulting from lifting the drag flap because of my lack of confidence with the heavier ‘plane. Walking the tightrope between stalling and not clearing obstacles for a few horrible seconds, I saw my mum and dad in an AAIB report, before taking control of the situation.
There we go, my five ‘Oh God’ moments.
Have not yet pulled the mixture control in flight. Matter of time………
I feel strangely unburdened!
Perhaps we should have a corresponding thread about good calls we've made while in difficulty, just to make us feel better. Like the time I got stuck in suddenly terrible vis and called D&D before the situation got any worse. I was a bit unsure of my position, but who cares, because it didn't stay that way?
Oh boy am I glad about this thread appearing! Here we go. I'm going to feel better for this:
· 1st solo navigation exercise – all was spot on until I reached the circuit area, followed the wrong motorway and narrowly missed busting airspace, thanks to someone seeing me.
· 2nd solo landaway – landed on the wrong parallel runway at Stapleford, despite lots of easy giveaways like people lining up for the other one!!! Seriously bad: a lack of preparation by both me and instructor and end result of getting into a big stress about things in the air and 'needing' to get down.
· Qualifier – wasn’t used to o/h joins (don’t do them at home field) and did everything perfectly except for joining the wrong side! Happened simply because every circuit that day I'd joined had been the other way. Was fine when I was actually downwind, just slotted in, but still brings me out in a cold sweat when I think about the descending ‘dead side’!!! :0
· Completely busted class A airspace when flying abroad. This was due to SO MANY rubbish bits of judgement:
a) I probably wasn’t fit to fly in the first place;
b) I should have insisted on getting accurate weather information instead of trusting the (incorrect) estimated wind given to me by my incredibly experienced co-flyer;
c) I knew deep down I was lost but went into denial about it, even managing to ignore the VOR creeping slowly but surely off the line because I was so convinced the wrong feature I was following was right;
d) (The most important one.) I thought that the other pilot wouldn’t let me get into trouble and was sitting like a lemon waiting for him to tell me what to do, when _I_ was flying…
Luckily ATC were nice about it, but I learnt loads from that one!
· Took on too many new things in one go, too soon after qualifying, on one flight (as per Whirlybird’s previous comments) and took my parents to visit my grandparents (serious pressure or what?!) at a strange airfield in an area I’d never been to in a 172, which I’d only just converted onto. Reverted to type – thought I was in the 152 that I’ve done most of my flying in – didn’t flare enough, landed flat and bounced it. The slight tailwind on the runway in use didn’t help either. Then I couldn’t climb away on the go around because I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to correct any sink resulting from lifting the drag flap because of my lack of confidence with the heavier ‘plane. Walking the tightrope between stalling and not clearing obstacles for a few horrible seconds, I saw my mum and dad in an AAIB report, before taking control of the situation.
There we go, my five ‘Oh God’ moments.
Have not yet pulled the mixture control in flight. Matter of time………
I feel strangely unburdened!
Perhaps we should have a corresponding thread about good calls we've made while in difficulty, just to make us feel better. Like the time I got stuck in suddenly terrible vis and called D&D before the situation got any worse. I was a bit unsure of my position, but who cares, because it didn't stay that way?
Thought I posted this but I can't see it. If it is duplicate, my apologies.
Turning finals in my amphibian I realised the wheels were up. Panic stricken pulling of gear unlock lever and switching for electric motor. Used both hands. Luckily she has a real sweet spot for trim and stability right about 60knots, 20 flaps 3,300 revs (geared prop)
Thought about it a lot afterwards. Should have overshot, "Fly the Plane first." Get back in the circuit to lower the gear.
Turning finals in my amphibian I realised the wheels were up. Panic stricken pulling of gear unlock lever and switching for electric motor. Used both hands. Luckily she has a real sweet spot for trim and stability right about 60knots, 20 flaps 3,300 revs (geared prop)
Thought about it a lot afterwards. Should have overshot, "Fly the Plane first." Get back in the circuit to lower the gear.
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I could have said I was unfamiliar with a straight in approach and could I do a circuit instead?
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Mistakes
Was on my first solo night flight as part of the night rating in FL. Did a few circuits in the dark then decided to go further afield. Found my destination field landed and turned around to come back. Taxiway had no lights and I totaly couldn't find the runway and it was an uncontrolled field. Eventually, sweating, I found the runway took off and followed the wrong freeway back to my home field. Eventually realised I was lost and followed the freeway back to the away field and found the correct freeway back to home field and landed safely. Very sweaty but relieved.
Pulled off the runway and decided to do a few more circuits. Lined up, made my calls and started rolling. Normal take off was 55kts, I was at 40kts with the trees at the end of the runway looking very close. Looked down, had forgot my after landing checks and had full flap and carb heat hot. There was no power and no lift, put carb heat on and retracted flaps quick style and pulled yolk back. I don't know how close I was to the trees but you could smell the fear. I was totally drenched with sweat by this time but decided to do a couple of full stop landings after that and make sure I did my after landers.
Have pulled the ICO instead of carb also, but fortunately only during the run up.
Also have lined up with the taxi way on a straight in at Gillespie Field in San Diego, should have been lined up on that tiny runway if anyone has been there but lined up with the taxi-way, realised my mistake about half a mile out.
Not me but a mate of mine took off with a concrete tie down block still attatched to his left wing. Flew and landed at an away field. Radio at away field told him he had something attatched to left wing. He couldn't believe it when he saw it was a huge lump of concrete. Said it was a bit sluggish to get rolling and was flying a bit left wing down. Also said there was no damage so dumped it in the back and flew home. Said he got distracted during his walk round. The poor lad has never flown since.
Pulled off the runway and decided to do a few more circuits. Lined up, made my calls and started rolling. Normal take off was 55kts, I was at 40kts with the trees at the end of the runway looking very close. Looked down, had forgot my after landing checks and had full flap and carb heat hot. There was no power and no lift, put carb heat on and retracted flaps quick style and pulled yolk back. I don't know how close I was to the trees but you could smell the fear. I was totally drenched with sweat by this time but decided to do a couple of full stop landings after that and make sure I did my after landers.
Have pulled the ICO instead of carb also, but fortunately only during the run up.
Also have lined up with the taxi way on a straight in at Gillespie Field in San Diego, should have been lined up on that tiny runway if anyone has been there but lined up with the taxi-way, realised my mistake about half a mile out.
Not me but a mate of mine took off with a concrete tie down block still attatched to his left wing. Flew and landed at an away field. Radio at away field told him he had something attatched to left wing. He couldn't believe it when he saw it was a huge lump of concrete. Said it was a bit sluggish to get rolling and was flying a bit left wing down. Also said there was no damage so dumped it in the back and flew home. Said he got distracted during his walk round. The poor lad has never flown since.
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@ Flyingforfun
Thats a very good question (why didn't i report these two incidents to my flight instructor) and i'm not sure i have a straight foward anwser to that. I guess its probably a combination of things, the biggest one being that my flight instructor is a vetern, and very proffesional, and it would be quite embarrasing to tell him about such unproffesional mistakes. Secondly, as i said, ive been working off and on on my PPL for about 3 years now, and because of this i have made some pretty stupid minor mistakes in front of him (such as misreading the heading indicator as 003 when its actually 030) and (forgetting the bank angles on the attitude indicator during my second year of flying). Mistakes like these make him say 'Cmon Dave!' and honestly, i don't want him to think i'm any more stupid than i probably already appear.
On the contrary, he has on a few occasions, mentioned some mistakes he's made (none like these though, usually more the airplanes fault than the pilot's with him). I would defenatly recommend however, to flight instructors that you share even your most embarrasing mistakes with students, not to put yourself down, but to bring them up. I look at my flight instructor, and i honestly don't think he's ever made a stupid mistake in his life! he's so proffesional about everything, and he always seems to be at least one step ahead of me
.
I guess the biggest tip i can give to instructors, is to be able to relate to your students like a friend, maybe try to think of yourselfs more as a co-pilot helping to solve problems, than a flight instructor. Even talking to your student about stuff besides flying might be a good idea, it would really help us to open up and ask questions on things we might be not so sure about. I'm not trying to talk bad about my instructor, i just think he maybe used to teaching on a higher level than the PPL, and therefore has trouble viewing 'dumbed down questions' as somthing other than 'uneducated'.
Hope that all made sense to you flight instructors out there
Fly Safe
T13x
Thats a very good question (why didn't i report these two incidents to my flight instructor) and i'm not sure i have a straight foward anwser to that. I guess its probably a combination of things, the biggest one being that my flight instructor is a vetern, and very proffesional, and it would be quite embarrasing to tell him about such unproffesional mistakes. Secondly, as i said, ive been working off and on on my PPL for about 3 years now, and because of this i have made some pretty stupid minor mistakes in front of him (such as misreading the heading indicator as 003 when its actually 030) and (forgetting the bank angles on the attitude indicator during my second year of flying). Mistakes like these make him say 'Cmon Dave!' and honestly, i don't want him to think i'm any more stupid than i probably already appear.
On the contrary, he has on a few occasions, mentioned some mistakes he's made (none like these though, usually more the airplanes fault than the pilot's with him). I would defenatly recommend however, to flight instructors that you share even your most embarrasing mistakes with students, not to put yourself down, but to bring them up. I look at my flight instructor, and i honestly don't think he's ever made a stupid mistake in his life! he's so proffesional about everything, and he always seems to be at least one step ahead of me
.I guess the biggest tip i can give to instructors, is to be able to relate to your students like a friend, maybe try to think of yourselfs more as a co-pilot helping to solve problems, than a flight instructor. Even talking to your student about stuff besides flying might be a good idea, it would really help us to open up and ask questions on things we might be not so sure about. I'm not trying to talk bad about my instructor, i just think he maybe used to teaching on a higher level than the PPL, and therefore has trouble viewing 'dumbed down questions' as somthing other than 'uneducated'.
Hope that all made sense to you flight instructors out there
Fly Safe
T13x