labbadabba
Pattern Altitude
Simulated kill that is. Flying IFR on PilotEdge, I think it was the first time I've died on a network. Full disclosure, I'm a private pilot working on my IR. I use PilotEdge to sharpen learned skills and challenge myself with scenarios that aren't usually available in my normal flying.
Flying in SoCal. Yucca Valley to LAX in a C210. Wanted to do this because I would pick up a clearance at an uncontrolled field going over 12,000 ft mountains meaning I'd need to fly a hold to gain altitude then onto crazy airspace.
Route was V264, Paradise VOR PDZ, PDZ270R, V363, LAX24R Localizer.
The last bit threw me as it seemed he had my approach clearance in the route. I'd never heard that before in a route clearance. Read back was good and I was on my way. My flying was textbook as I passed over PDZ. Everything going perfectly. While traveling north on V363 I kicked on my AP to start briefing the approach. I saw the localizer CDI come alive but the controller had not explicitly cleared me onto the LAX 24R LOC. So I kept flying thru as the localizer fully deflected. Then I was flying thru the Pomona VOR. Just north of the VOR are some more big mountains (MEA is 10500) and I was at 4000. This was my first uh-oh. Mental fog develops.
The controller came on and chided that I was north of course and vectored me back to the localizer before I went CFIT. I intercepted the localizer and began my descent. Controller came on again asked what I was doing. I said flying the LOC 24R approach to LAX. He said that I wasn't cleared for the approach and that's when it occurred to me that the LOC24R in my clearance was part of the route, not an approach clearance, duh. Mental fog deepens.
At this point, the marine layer had come in and a visual approach was not an option. He asked if I'd like to be vectored back to sequence an ILS. I said yes. Mental fog goes to pea soup. At that point, I was configured for landing. 1,000agl, 90kts, 10° flaps, gear down. The controller told me to climb and maintain 5000. I turned the KAP140 to 5,000 feet and began my climb while my engine was about 16" MP 2500 RPM. (oops) I looked down briefly at my chart and my stall horn went off.
I knew immediately what had happened and disconnected the AP and put in full power. But at that point, I was already in a spin. I pulled back the throttle as I emerged from the cloud deck, stopped the spin but couldn't pull up in time.
My VSI showed a 2,000+ FPM descent and I fixated on that instrument as I plunged trying to make sense of what was happening. The whole thing probably took less than 10 seconds.
I know what mistakes I made but man, it's scary to see how quickly they can add up to be fatal. I laid awake in bed that night thinking about the accident chain like it was a Peter Garrison Aftermath article. I broke down each piece of that flight. Why didn't I ask for clarification on the route? How could I ever put a climb into the AP without adding power? Why, in a stall in IMC was I fixating on the VSI?
This is why I'm thankful I have a good sim set-up and that there's a service like PilotEdge (thanks @coma24 ). I'm glad to be able to have my own Aftermath and walk away from it.
Flying in SoCal. Yucca Valley to LAX in a C210. Wanted to do this because I would pick up a clearance at an uncontrolled field going over 12,000 ft mountains meaning I'd need to fly a hold to gain altitude then onto crazy airspace.
Route was V264, Paradise VOR PDZ, PDZ270R, V363, LAX24R Localizer.
The last bit threw me as it seemed he had my approach clearance in the route. I'd never heard that before in a route clearance. Read back was good and I was on my way. My flying was textbook as I passed over PDZ. Everything going perfectly. While traveling north on V363 I kicked on my AP to start briefing the approach. I saw the localizer CDI come alive but the controller had not explicitly cleared me onto the LAX 24R LOC. So I kept flying thru as the localizer fully deflected. Then I was flying thru the Pomona VOR. Just north of the VOR are some more big mountains (MEA is 10500) and I was at 4000. This was my first uh-oh. Mental fog develops.
The controller came on and chided that I was north of course and vectored me back to the localizer before I went CFIT. I intercepted the localizer and began my descent. Controller came on again asked what I was doing. I said flying the LOC 24R approach to LAX. He said that I wasn't cleared for the approach and that's when it occurred to me that the LOC24R in my clearance was part of the route, not an approach clearance, duh. Mental fog deepens.
At this point, the marine layer had come in and a visual approach was not an option. He asked if I'd like to be vectored back to sequence an ILS. I said yes. Mental fog goes to pea soup. At that point, I was configured for landing. 1,000agl, 90kts, 10° flaps, gear down. The controller told me to climb and maintain 5000. I turned the KAP140 to 5,000 feet and began my climb while my engine was about 16" MP 2500 RPM. (oops) I looked down briefly at my chart and my stall horn went off.
I knew immediately what had happened and disconnected the AP and put in full power. But at that point, I was already in a spin. I pulled back the throttle as I emerged from the cloud deck, stopped the spin but couldn't pull up in time.
My VSI showed a 2,000+ FPM descent and I fixated on that instrument as I plunged trying to make sense of what was happening. The whole thing probably took less than 10 seconds.
I know what mistakes I made but man, it's scary to see how quickly they can add up to be fatal. I laid awake in bed that night thinking about the accident chain like it was a Peter Garrison Aftermath article. I broke down each piece of that flight. Why didn't I ask for clarification on the route? How could I ever put a climb into the AP without adding power? Why, in a stall in IMC was I fixating on the VSI?
This is why I'm thankful I have a good sim set-up and that there's a service like PilotEdge (thanks @coma24 ). I'm glad to be able to have my own Aftermath and walk away from it.
