Pilot Errors
Join Date: Nov 2010
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The biggest factor in GA:
"I'm a big, rich important business man therefore I am ruthless and do what I want and don't give 2 sh*ts about the safety of others because I am my own aviation authority".
That tends to be a big one at my local club and it infuriates me.
"I'm a big, rich important business man therefore I am ruthless and do what I want and don't give 2 sh*ts about the safety of others because I am my own aviation authority".
That tends to be a big one at my local club and it infuriates me.
Join Date: Aug 2012
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DAR - is that Lake Simcoe?
i was flying over lake Skugog on Saturday, the ice looked like it was just giving way to spring, I even commented to my husband that I wouldn't like to be out on it. I guess simcoe gave way huh?
i was flying over lake Skugog on Saturday, the ice looked like it was just giving way to spring, I even commented to my husband that I wouldn't like to be out on it. I guess simcoe gave way huh?
Join Date: Jul 2012
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I wonder how many of us actually go through the operating handbook from page one to the hold. There are four in our flying group and one in particular thinks of the cockpit as a car and carries out his checks from memory. I did it once and once only after I left the nosewheel chock in place and tried to move off the parking stand. Lesson learnt. No matter how much you think you know the procedure off by heart I guarantee you will not.
I want to add another item to the list:
Inadequate, poor or simply non existent flight planning and preparation.
I remember my first map reading exercise. The cockpit was a complete mess of nav charts, weight and balance sheets, performance graphs, weather printouts, NOTAMs and my flight plan (buried in there somewhere) when we took off. No sooner were we wheels up when my instructor asked me for my pencil because he wanted to change a waypoint on the route I had chosen. A mere nanosecond into the proceeding chaos I learned a very important lesson about proper preparation.
Inadequate, poor or simply non existent flight planning and preparation.
I remember my first map reading exercise. The cockpit was a complete mess of nav charts, weight and balance sheets, performance graphs, weather printouts, NOTAMs and my flight plan (buried in there somewhere) when we took off. No sooner were we wheels up when my instructor asked me for my pencil because he wanted to change a waypoint on the route I had chosen. A mere nanosecond into the proceeding chaos I learned a very important lesson about proper preparation.
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Lots of little mistakes mentioned. But there are big mistakes that are by far most dangerous, and kill more pilots.
Number one: trying to turn back to the airfield with engine trouble when TOO LOW. And of course too low to recover from the spin that is the consequence.
(Always have a plan B in mind before you take off)
Number two: pressing on to planned destination when the weather is getting worse.....Never be ashamed to return to base, don't worry what anyone else will think of that sensible decision.
Fatigue. Under pressure. Don't be afraid to say no. I found a useful phrase to be "These conditions are over my personal limitations."
Number one: trying to turn back to the airfield with engine trouble when TOO LOW. And of course too low to recover from the spin that is the consequence.
(Always have a plan B in mind before you take off)
Number two: pressing on to planned destination when the weather is getting worse.....Never be ashamed to return to base, don't worry what anyone else will think of that sensible decision.
Fatigue. Under pressure. Don't be afraid to say no. I found a useful phrase to be "These conditions are over my personal limitations."
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Quite an experienced instructor told me once that pilots are most vulnerable to errors every 150 hours (or about), due to confidence & negligence.
Interesting statistic, and a good pointer to all of us, if correct. Can anyone corroborate this?
Interesting statistic, and a good pointer to all of us, if correct. Can anyone corroborate this?
There is a book called 'the killing zone' which argues approximately this. There were some big problems with the way the crash statistics had been analysed, so I don't know whether or not it's true.
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There is the same sort of accident statistic with scuba diving every 150 dives you have some screw up. Some more dangerous than others.
When you first get told this by the more experenced divers you think that will be right. But after 850 odd dives it held pretty true.
Unfortunately one of my diving instructors died while diving a clyde wreck. Dive number 1147 or there abouts.
When you first get told this by the more experenced divers you think that will be right. But after 850 odd dives it held pretty true.
Unfortunately one of my diving instructors died while diving a clyde wreck. Dive number 1147 or there abouts.
Fly Conventional Gear
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I think the main lesson from the experience vs. likelihood of accident analysis is that one is never completely safe and in fact after a lot of hours one has to guard against complacency even more.
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There is a book called 'the killing zone' which argues approximately this. There were some big problems with the way the crash statistics had been analysed, so I don't know whether or not it's true.
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The NTSB has recently published five Safety Alerts about the most common accident causes related to pilot error, maybe this can help you:
General Aviation Safety Alerts
General Aviation Safety Alerts
Nobody much believes the statistics in that book, but the case studies are instructive.
When you start flying you have two buckets
Bucket 1 = Luck
Bucket 2 = Experience
The luck bucket will be full and the experience bucket will be empty. The trick is to fill up the experience bucket before you empty the luck bucket....
Bucket 1 = Luck
Bucket 2 = Experience
The luck bucket will be full and the experience bucket will be empty. The trick is to fill up the experience bucket before you empty the luck bucket....
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When it goes "quiet up front" being concerned about the aircraft - instead of those in it.
Interesting stats show the survivability of the ensuing landing/crash is related to the type of aircraft. From least survivable to most:
Surprisingly it turns out the reason, behind these stats, is NOT due to:
It turns out to relate to how much the pilot values the aircraft.
The most survivable accidents are when the pilot does his best to look after the occupants - if the aircraft is usable again, after the landing, it's a bonus.
The least survivable accidents are when the pilot tries too hard to make a perfect landing, in a perfect field - usually stretching the glide in the process.
Before someone says it I DO realise that the safest outcome is going to be a perfect landing in a perfect field - as long as one is available. If there is not one within safe angle/distance then the pilot who concentrates on "hitting the softest thing available as slowly as possible" is going to get the best outcome for the occupants.
OC619
Interesting stats show the survivability of the ensuing landing/crash is related to the type of aircraft. From least survivable to most:
- Rare / Vintage / Warbird
- Homebuilt
- Privately Owned
- Club
Surprisingly it turns out the reason, behind these stats, is NOT due to:
- Aircraft type / performance / complexity
- Aircraft maintenance
- Pilot skill / experience
It turns out to relate to how much the pilot values the aircraft.
The most survivable accidents are when the pilot does his best to look after the occupants - if the aircraft is usable again, after the landing, it's a bonus.
The least survivable accidents are when the pilot tries too hard to make a perfect landing, in a perfect field - usually stretching the glide in the process.
Before someone says it I DO realise that the safest outcome is going to be a perfect landing in a perfect field - as long as one is available. If there is not one within safe angle/distance then the pilot who concentrates on "hitting the softest thing available as slowly as possible" is going to get the best outcome for the occupants.
OC619
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Here's my stupid mistake, and yes it does follow a chain of events as mentioned!
-PPL instructor whines he doesn't earn enough
-He always asks me to do a quick turnaround...so he would land, I'd oil/fuel up whilst he debriefs new student and he meets me outside engine running.
-He lands late but still wants to do our lesson before the sun sets. When he lands he doesn't seem relaxed and jolly like normal but a bit serious (maybe flustered?? don't know if that's the right word).
-I didn't want to disappoint him. Firstly because students tend to look up to their instructors and secondly I arrived late for a lesson the previous day for which I received a telling off.
-Rushed the 'turn around'
-Tried to taxi to fuel pumps with the tie downs still on.
The tie downs aren't connected to hooks in the ground but they clip onto another wire which runs a long a whole line of aircraft. So technically I tried to taxi with around 8 planes attached to me. Nothing happend as a guy performing a walk around next to me waved me down before I started moving.
Suppose to sum that up, don't put undue pressures on yourself. Don't rush.
-PPL instructor whines he doesn't earn enough
-He always asks me to do a quick turnaround...so he would land, I'd oil/fuel up whilst he debriefs new student and he meets me outside engine running.
-He lands late but still wants to do our lesson before the sun sets. When he lands he doesn't seem relaxed and jolly like normal but a bit serious (maybe flustered?? don't know if that's the right word).
-I didn't want to disappoint him. Firstly because students tend to look up to their instructors and secondly I arrived late for a lesson the previous day for which I received a telling off.
-Rushed the 'turn around'
-Tried to taxi to fuel pumps with the tie downs still on.
The tie downs aren't connected to hooks in the ground but they clip onto another wire which runs a long a whole line of aircraft. So technically I tried to taxi with around 8 planes attached to me. Nothing happend as a guy performing a walk around next to me waved me down before I started moving.
Suppose to sum that up, don't put undue pressures on yourself. Don't rush.
Last edited by pudoc; 22nd Apr 2013 at 18:32.
Number two: pressing on to planned destination when the weather is getting worse.....Never be ashamed to return to base, don't worry what anyone else will think of that sensible decision.