Stupid Mistake

AggieMike88 said:
Soooo typical of a software guy.... blaming the hardware :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
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I am telling you there is an issue with that radio.
When I turn the knob one way it works fine, when I turn it the other way, you can't hear anything.

Don't even get me started on the master switch. I forget which it is but there is one position where nothing in the plane will work at all.

Some sort of electrical gremlin I think.
 
No, there are a few things that work with the master off. Oil pressure sometimes works. The engine will keep running. Alt gear extension works. The ASI, AI, DG, mag compass, VSI and altimeter work. Some glass panels will keep working for 30 minutes or so.
 
Good job seeing him and getting out of the way. That's why I always make sure to look to the right (in left traffic) before the final turn. Have caught a couple of folks on long straight-ins not talking on the radio that way.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
So I just played it off. "So in so traffic, Radio check"
They responded and I said "I am having trouble with Com1. Com2 seems to be working"

They said "No worries, we were watching you"
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LOL. I may or may not do this sometimes

(not necessarily in the same situation)
 
Geico266 said:
Pilots never admit mistakes! :lol: Its unpilot like. ;)
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Yet another similarity between pilots and musicians. When error occurs, first step is ALWAYS to blame the equipment first.

To the OP, I wouldn't beat yourself up about it too much. I've done the same thing, landed at a small airport, wrong freq, saw the one other plane and followed him down to the runway figuring he didn't have a radio or just wasn't using it. Only when I was back in the plane later that day and doing my run up did I realize I was off.

I've gotten in the habit of doing a "radio check" when entering a new airspace even if I know the radio was working five minutes ago, just to make sure I'm on the right freq and can hear and be heard.
 
Skyscraper said:
Yet another similarity between pilots and musicians. When error occurs, first step is ALWAYS to blame the equipment first.
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You hang with a different group than I do.

Blaming the instrument is a very quick way to get yourself labeled a lightweight.

Much more common is to say "I meant to do that." That's really easy to do in an improvisational setting. Not so easy in a pit orchestra. For that, you see complaints about not understanding direction or notation, but that only works in rehearsal.
 
I play pretty aggressive music. If I make a mistake, I just go with "needs more distortion"
 
MAKG1 said:
No, there are a few things that work with the master off. Oil pressure sometimes works. The engine will keep running. Alt gear extension works. The ASI, AI, DG, mag compass, VSI and altimeter work. Some glass panels will keep working for 30 minutes or so.
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I can confirm this because on a certain IR check ride the master switch was accidentally turned off during initiation of a missed approach in a Piper Archer. :yikes: Not sure why this happened.

David
 
flhrci said:
I can confirm this because on a certain IR check ride the master switch was accidentally turned off during initiation of a missed approach in a Piper Archer. :yikes: Not sure why this happened.

David
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In an Archer, the flap "switch" and master switch look really, really different….

Did you confuse it with the fuel pump switch, perhaps? Those are close by.
 
MAKG1 said:
In an Archer, the flap "switch" and master switch look really, really different….

Did you confuse it with the fuel pump switch, perhaps? Those are close by.
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Been a really long time but I am thinking fuel pump.

David
 
MAKG1 said:
You hang with a different group than I do.

Blaming the instrument is a very quick way to get yourself labeled a lightweight.

Much more common is to say "I meant to do that." That's really easy to do in an improvisational setting. Not so easy in a pit orchestra. For that, you see complaints about not understanding direction or notation, but that only works in rehearsal.
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Don't get me wrong, those who blame equipment quickly get berated, but that doesn't stop people: "My amp just sounds weird today and it's throwing me off, that's why I just botched that solo".

Many times when I make a mistake I'll just repeat it and blame it on my earlier jazz lesson :D "Come on guys, I thought you wanted to be progressive?"
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Do you really turn the fuel pump on/off during initiation of a missed approach? :dunno:
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Been a while since I flew a PA28, but I recall boost pump on as part of the pre-landing checklist, so there should be no reason to hit the switch on a go-around or missed approach.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Been a while since I flew a PA28, but I recall boost pump on as part of the pre-landing checklist, so there should be no reason to hit the switch on a go-around or missed approach.
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Unless it was off.

You can initiate a missed approach prior to the pre-landing checklist if you do it early enough.

I prefer to do pre-landing checklists early, as I don't like switching tanks at only 1000 AGL. But I'm not in the majority, it would seem.
 
Geico266 said:
This is why I very rarely if ever get upset at other pilots making mistakes.
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Thank you, I may accidentally take you up on that one day.

Reminds me of being on IFR plan and getting approved for frequency change to the CTAF while on the ILS to a non towered airport.

After clicking the mike 7 times the approach controller comes back on and asked if we were trying to turn on the lights in their tower? :mad2::mad2::mad2: Whoops..

Arrrrg, you have to actually PUSH the other com button on audio panel to change radios.:yes:
 
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MAKG1 said:
I prefer to do pre-landing checklists early, as I don't like switching tanks at only 1000 AGL. But I'm not in the majority, it would seem.
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My PPL instructor did not want me switching tanks during any of the approach. (if its running keep it running)
And my IFR instructor wanted me to make my fuel selection prior to IAF (same reason)

And when I did this on my instrument check ride the examiner made it a point to thank me (both during and at debrief) for not switching tanks on final, quoting the same thing and saying the engine is stable and running, dont mess with it during a critical phase of flight.

I was also taught to take off on the same tank you landed on during a quick turn around. Since you don't want the fuel from the newly switched tank to be hitting the engine around the same time you are taking off.

He said switch tanks only when you are stable and have a few minutes to figure out what to do with any possible fuel contamination.
 
Jaybird180 said:
121.5 anybody?
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Correct answer...

FDC 4/4386 SPECIAL NOTICE
NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM INTERCEPT PROCEDURES.

...ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATING IN UNITED STATES NATIONAL AIRSPACE, IF CAPABLE, SHALL MAINTAIN A LISTENING WATCH ON VHF GUARD 121.5 OR UHF 243.0...
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If they left the pattern they should have at the very least been maintaining a listening watch on 121.5 Also, I'd have to question what they were talking about and where they were when they were doing the talking. Maintaining a sterile cockpit when you're in the pattern is a good idea.
 
Timely thread. I pulled the exact same stunt a couple of weeks ago. Good reminder to monitor 121.5 when you're tempted to turn the radio down.
 
It seems that it's only a matter of time before we do that one thing that really gives us pause and makes us realize that we are human and will make mistakes. Those reality reminders can be a wake up call to bring our focus back to where it needs to be.
 
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