Cancelling IFR... ON TIME

[Lindberg]

Dunno if I ever told this story here, but I've told it many times when I've done presentations. The only "lots of paperwork" situation involving an emergency I have encountered was one where the pilot didn't declare. It was probably 15 years ago. A jet pilot had a flameout in the clouds. He handled it but did not key the mic even long enough to say, "[Tailnumber] unable to hold altitude, MayDay!" I wasn't in the cockpit and certainly don't him for aviating first (and ultimately neither did the FAA) but there was a bit of paperwork, not to mention aggravation and worry about his career, responding to the enforcement action the FAA started for the Class B altitude bust. It went all the way to the attorney conference stage in the process before it was resolved. I'm absolutely convinced that if he had keyed the mic, it would have been a complete non-event, enforcement-wise.

It makes perfect sense, and that's exactly what I'd expect from the FAA. From their perspective, there's a big difference between declaring an emergency and then doing the thing, and post hoc claiming an emergency to avoid the consequences of a bust.

 

[midlifeflyer]

It makes perfect sense, and that's exactly what I'd expect from the FAA. From their perspective, there's a big difference between declaring an emergency and then doing the thing, and post hoc claiming an emergency to avoid the consequences of a bust.

The good news is that the FAA attorney at conference accepted immediately that it was an emergency. The remaining issue was whether the pilot created the emergency by not following a required procedure to prevent a flameout. That was quickly answered - he didn't. Point is, if he declared, it would not have gotten that far.

 

[Palmpilot]

^ Sounds like an important lesson!