Unfortunate mishap HELP!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: essex,uk
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unfortunate mishap HELP!
Please can anyone help recently did my Q/XC and made a complete mess of one of my landings (runway 24, landed runway 06). Well now my confidence is shot and I need some reassurance that iam not the first to make this mistake. My instructor said not to worry and that I will now never forget it.(I should say so) but couldnt sleep last night due to being annoyed.If anyone has any other mishaps it might be helpfull to us all.Thanks.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 42
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Look on the bright side. A complete mess would have been to crash on 06!
Thousands of hours myself and I still make the odd mistake. We all do! Anyone who tells you differently is either lying or is too stupid to realise that theyve made one.
Cheer up, it aint that bad. I met a F90 Kingair on climbout once, flown by an ATPL who was convinced he was on approach to a different airport and an experienced instructor I heard of recently landed at Connington instead of Sibson, who he was talking to at the time.
Thousands of hours myself and I still make the odd mistake. We all do! Anyone who tells you differently is either lying or is too stupid to realise that theyve made one.
Cheer up, it aint that bad. I met a F90 Kingair on climbout once, flown by an ATPL who was convinced he was on approach to a different airport and an experienced instructor I heard of recently landed at Connington instead of Sibson, who he was talking to at the time.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: brisbane, australia
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
and didn't a 747 land at the wrong airport in India a few years ago?
I believe they had to pull out all the seats and pump out fuel to get it out.
and NO - you won't ever do it again. Was your instructor on board?
I believe they had to pull out all the seats and pump out fuel to get it out.
and NO - you won't ever do it again. Was your instructor on board?
Guest
Posts: n/a
The best I can say is...fly the approach in your head before you takeoff. It works for me!
I once announced to a FISO that I was crosswind when I was not
. I was actually flying overhead before decending dead side...I got slighty confused and it was enough to ensure that I now mentally fly the approach and circuit before leaving the ground. Have an aerodrome plate with you too.
P.S. I believe that someone landed on the emergency runway at LGW once too...after an ILS approach! 
I once announced to a FISO that I was crosswind when I was not
. I was actually flying overhead before decending dead side...I got slighty confused and it was enough to ensure that I now mentally fly the approach and circuit before leaving the ground. Have an aerodrome plate with you too.P.S. I believe that someone landed on the emergency runway at LGW once too...after an ILS approach!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: France
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Perfect Pilot
been flying nearly 30 years now. I'm another case of "been there, done that".including the mistakes.(including using the wrong runway many years ago)
there are two types of pilot..
those who have screwed up, and those who have yet to screw up..and nobody's immune from that, though a few pretend to be.
Besides, you learned a lesson, therefore the flight was a success.
Sleep peacefully. Sweet dreams.
there are two types of pilot..
those who have screwed up, and those who have yet to screw up..and nobody's immune from that, though a few pretend to be.
Besides, you learned a lesson, therefore the flight was a success.
Sleep peacefully. Sweet dreams.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: europe
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
be sure to check your heading with your heading runway before landing. most of my students were inbound for the wrong runway. now they check their heading on final to be sure they are on the good runway. usual mistake! 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,815
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Don't worry about it,
Just add it to the list of i won't do that again.
I managed a hardish landing after selecting the wrong MP setting.
It didn't matter that everyone said it was at night one engine simulated out etc.,and the instructor should have spotted it and not let the situation develop. I still felt crap and useless.
But looking back on it i proberly learn't more from that crap trip than i did in the previous trips. I bet in the future you won't make the same mistake again.
Although its not a standard procedure if i am flying VFR and not using any RNAV beacons i set the wind on the VOR dial i find it easier to judge xwinds etc so if your heading on the approach isn't in the same half as the wind there is something wrong.
MJ
Just add it to the list of i won't do that again.
I managed a hardish landing after selecting the wrong MP setting.
It didn't matter that everyone said it was at night one engine simulated out etc.,and the instructor should have spotted it and not let the situation develop. I still felt crap and useless.
But looking back on it i proberly learn't more from that crap trip than i did in the previous trips. I bet in the future you won't make the same mistake again.
Although its not a standard procedure if i am flying VFR and not using any RNAV beacons i set the wind on the VOR dial i find it easier to judge xwinds etc so if your heading on the approach isn't in the same half as the wind there is something wrong.
MJ
Why do it if it's not fun?
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 4,779
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree with all the other postings - we all make mistakes, the trick is to learn from them.
I remember a student at my flying club doing exactly the same thing. I think he flew a perfect circuit for runway 29, when the runway in use was 21 - which was even more spectacular since the circuit directions for the two runways are different. And this was at his home airfield too! I remember thinking I could never do anything like that. Then, a few months later, I was doing an American-style 45-degree join onto downwind, which was fine except I was joining for the wrong direction runway, turning downwind against the traffic in the circuit. It's the only time ATC have shouted at me on the R/T, and it was completely justified. So yes, it happens to all of us, even when we say it won't!
Advice about flying the approach in your head before you leave is fine as long as you know which runway you'll be using. You should always call first, of course, but there's nothing to stop them changing their mind while you're en-route. What type of join did you do? If it was an overhead join, the trick is to remember to overfly the numbers you want to land on before descending dead-side, then everything else fits into place. Other types of join are more difficult - get the airfield information as early as possible, use the DI to orientate yourself, and plan your arrival as early as you can.
And remember that we all start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck runs out. You've just put another bit of experience into your fast-filling bag.
FFF
--------------
I remember a student at my flying club doing exactly the same thing. I think he flew a perfect circuit for runway 29, when the runway in use was 21 - which was even more spectacular since the circuit directions for the two runways are different. And this was at his home airfield too! I remember thinking I could never do anything like that. Then, a few months later, I was doing an American-style 45-degree join onto downwind, which was fine except I was joining for the wrong direction runway, turning downwind against the traffic in the circuit. It's the only time ATC have shouted at me on the R/T, and it was completely justified. So yes, it happens to all of us, even when we say it won't!
Advice about flying the approach in your head before you leave is fine as long as you know which runway you'll be using. You should always call first, of course, but there's nothing to stop them changing their mind while you're en-route. What type of join did you do? If it was an overhead join, the trick is to remember to overfly the numbers you want to land on before descending dead-side, then everything else fits into place. Other types of join are more difficult - get the airfield information as early as possible, use the DI to orientate yourself, and plan your arrival as early as you can.
And remember that we all start out with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck runs out. You've just put another bit of experience into your fast-filling bag.
FFF
--------------
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 683
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well I completely cocked up the landing on my ME flight test. Slammed the damn thing into the runway so hard I taxied it straight to the hangar for the engineer to take a look at.
Don't worry about it is the best advice, but I can sympathise because I've been there. Getting really concerned that you can't do it, then you lose confidence in yourself and you get worse.... etc etc. Downward spiral.
Just think "f*ck it". What happens, happens. Give it your best shot- worse thing they can do is kill you. So you landed on the opposite direction runway?! (I presume this was an uncontrolled airfield). Temporary disorientation. Just resolve that, in future, you check the direction on the mag compass before you touch down. Or, when on downwind for 06, you're not flying a heading of 060.
If it's any consolation, I once nearly landed on 22 when I'd been cleared to land on 27 (at Vero Beach, FL, in 1997 after 60h or so of flying).
Don't worry about it is the best advice, but I can sympathise because I've been there. Getting really concerned that you can't do it, then you lose confidence in yourself and you get worse.... etc etc. Downward spiral.
Just think "f*ck it". What happens, happens. Give it your best shot- worse thing they can do is kill you. So you landed on the opposite direction runway?! (I presume this was an uncontrolled airfield). Temporary disorientation. Just resolve that, in future, you check the direction on the mag compass before you touch down. Or, when on downwind for 06, you're not flying a heading of 060.
If it's any consolation, I once nearly landed on 22 when I'd been cleared to land on 27 (at Vero Beach, FL, in 1997 after 60h or so of flying).
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: essex,uk
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks everyone for the advice feeling much better now. Knew I had done wrong as soon as I had landed and went very gingerly into the tower to await the telling off (felt like i was back at school in front of the headmaster).I still run through the flight in my head and cant understand how I made such a basic mistake. But they say you live and learn, In aviation thats the best way.
Supercharged PPRuNer
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Doon the watter, a million miles from the sandpit.
Posts: 1,183
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lots of good advice there - when it come to cock-ups, how long have you got? I've called 'finals' when downwind, I've gone from flaps 30 to clean at 50' & 55kts in a go-around (and I promise you, if you've done that once, you'll never do it again ), I (briefly) went IMC on my 1st cross-country solo. . . As everyone has said, rest assured mistakes will happen. The trick is to deal with them, and learn from the experience.
And although you don't say where this happened, if it was the Essex airport with 24/06 runways and variable circuits that I'm thinking of, I'm sure they've seen worse. I spent some time in the tower a while back, and the controllers explained they like to cross-check people's position reports with the direction-finding equipment, as they are so used to us reporting right-hand downwind when we're actually left-hand, etc. (And until I went there, I thought my RT was quite poor. Half an hour of listening to other students trying to transit the zone or get an RIS convinced me I didn't have much to worry about.)
It might be an idea to ask to see the tower next time you're in there, as you'll find they're human too, and they'll be able to reassure you with plenty of other people's horror stories!
), I (briefly) went IMC on my 1st cross-country solo. . . As everyone has said, rest assured mistakes will happen. The trick is to deal with them, and learn from the experience.And although you don't say where this happened, if it was the Essex airport with 24/06 runways and variable circuits that I'm thinking of, I'm sure they've seen worse. I spent some time in the tower a while back, and the controllers explained they like to cross-check people's position reports with the direction-finding equipment, as they are so used to us reporting right-hand downwind when we're actually left-hand, etc. (And until I went there, I thought my RT was quite poor. Half an hour of listening to other students trying to transit the zone or get an RIS convinced me I didn't have much to worry about.)
It might be an idea to ask to see the tower next time you're in there, as you'll find they're human too, and they'll be able to reassure you with plenty of other people's horror stories!
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Age: 73
Posts: 294
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
... and on my Q XC I missed Shobdon by miles and then convinced myself that Ludlow was Leominster. GPS to the rescue. I owned up and Ins said 'best thing that could have happened'. Now I agree.
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: UK
Age: 46
Posts: 642
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When everything goes as planned you learn very little. We all make errors at some time, the trick is to learn from them and not make the same mistake twice, and spot when a mistake has become dangerous.
I recently had an inadvertent flap retraction in a C150 when I was on finals. I had selected flaps to 20 when on base, but instead of putting the lever back to the centre position, I inadvertently moved it to the up position.
As I was on finals the aircraft seemed to have a higher than usual nose up attitude,airspeed was 10 knots high and was high on the PAPI's. I pulled the power early and flared longer and landed firmly. I asked my mate in the RHS to "clean it up" as we vacated the runway, to which he replied "the flaps are already up" - and then I realised what I had done.
So now I take more care with the flap lever on the C150.
I recently had an inadvertent flap retraction in a C150 when I was on finals. I had selected flaps to 20 when on base, but instead of putting the lever back to the centre position, I inadvertently moved it to the up position.
As I was on finals the aircraft seemed to have a higher than usual nose up attitude,airspeed was 10 knots high and was high on the PAPI's. I pulled the power early and flared longer and landed firmly. I asked my mate in the RHS to "clean it up" as we vacated the runway, to which he replied "the flaps are already up" - and then I realised what I had done.
So now I take more care with the flap lever on the C150.
Flies for fun
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Wishing it was somewhere sunny!
Posts: 789
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flying into McCarran Intl (Las Vegas, I was being vectored around heavy traffic and wake turbulence, the ATC people were doing a magnificent job to keep me safe and then I turned final onto 25R instead of 19R still, it kept them on their toes and they gave me VIP treatment with an invitation to telephone them when I had parked up. It's not everybody who brings a little excitement into their lives! I draw out a little picture of the runways of my destination airport onto my kneepad now! :o
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: A galaxy far far away
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey Dont despair. At least you made the right airport.
During my first solo x-country for my PPL I made all the correct joins, radio calls etc and slowly realised turning final that my local airport didnt have a runway 17 or a huge lake to the left !!!.
A quick go-around followed by an even quicker departure....
Dont worry...you'll be fine..all part of the learning curve.
Teroc
During my first solo x-country for my PPL I made all the correct joins, radio calls etc and slowly realised turning final that my local airport didnt have a runway 17 or a huge lake to the left !!!.
A quick go-around followed by an even quicker departure....
Dont worry...you'll be fine..all part of the learning curve.
Teroc
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Like they say "If you haven't made a mistake flying - you haven't done at lot of flying!"
Tried to land on what I thought was El Paso International Rwy 22. Was actually Fort Bliss Air Force Base Rwy 21. Probably would have landed too if El Paso tower hadn't chimed in. A lot bigger aircraft than what you would have been in Jeffrey!
Don't worry about it - it happens to us all!
Tried to land on what I thought was El Paso International Rwy 22. Was actually Fort Bliss Air Force Base Rwy 21. Probably would have landed too if El Paso tower hadn't chimed in. A lot bigger aircraft than what you would have been in Jeffrey!
Don't worry about it - it happens to us all!
Hi Jeffrey29,
Me thinks no worry's I turned downwind in the right direction for the wrong runway today and to cap it all in front of a student.
During the debrief over a tee I mentioned the " We all make mistake's and when you cant admit that give up flying mate".
Regards
Me thinks no worry's I turned downwind in the right direction for the wrong runway today and to cap it all in front of a student.
During the debrief over a tee I mentioned the " We all make mistake's and when you cant admit that give up flying mate".
Regards
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Gatwick
Age: 53
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Jeffrey29 - don't sweat it. As everyone else has said, everyone else makes mistakes too, the important thing being to learn from it.
Once when I was still a student PPL and flying as a "passenger" in a non-radio aircraft, we set ourselves up nicely for downwind on the expected runway (based on the forecast wind) at a little uncontrolled airfield without a windsock. Just as we were about to turn base, I spotted a plume of smoke directly ahead of us. It was blowing directly towards us! A swift 180 turn put us on the opposite downwind for the reciprocal runway, and a smooth landing followed. I looked up on the rollout to see another aircraft about 150 feet above the ground and perfectly positioned to land in the opposite direction directly on top of us!!!! Suffice to say the PIC got us off the runway at a somewhat faster speed than normal and the landing plane executed a go-around followed by a circuit to land a with a 10kt tail-wind and a nice short runway...
You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Admit the mistake, learn from it, and make sure you never repeat it.
Cheers,
MD.
Once when I was still a student PPL and flying as a "passenger" in a non-radio aircraft, we set ourselves up nicely for downwind on the expected runway (based on the forecast wind) at a little uncontrolled airfield without a windsock. Just as we were about to turn base, I spotted a plume of smoke directly ahead of us. It was blowing directly towards us! A swift 180 turn put us on the opposite downwind for the reciprocal runway, and a smooth landing followed. I looked up on the rollout to see another aircraft about 150 feet above the ground and perfectly positioned to land in the opposite direction directly on top of us!!!! Suffice to say the PIC got us off the runway at a somewhat faster speed than normal and the landing plane executed a go-around followed by a circuit to land a with a 10kt tail-wind and a nice short runway...
You're not the first, and you won't be the last. Admit the mistake, learn from it, and make sure you never repeat it.
Cheers,
MD.