The worst pilot I ever saw was.....

D

docmirror

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Jan 5, 2007
Messages
12,008
Display Name
Display name:
Cowboy - yeehah!
Ok, short rules, student pilots are out, they have to be a min PPL.

I've seen 2.5 accidents. the half accident was a Cessna TW pilot that did a lot of yoke and throttle jockeying while trying to land. He bounced it enough times to wrinkle the skin forward of the stabilizer.

The second worst pilot was actually the guy that gave my last BFR. He was horrible, both as a pilot, and as a teacher. The guy rushed through everything, we took off with the xpndr on standby, he got a bit lost and picked the wrong small airport enroute, then when we got back to our home airport, he turned off the active, onto a crossing runway, and ground chided him not to do that again.

The worst was way back in the 80s. We went to a Grumman gang fly-in, and some doofus was trying to do acro, at low altitude in a AA-5A Cheetah. Big mistake, he was pretty incompetent at acro. He crashed, and barely survived.

Let's hear your horror stories.
 
Had a CFI convince me to takeoff from a very high field in very high DA with a close to gross Arrow.

I'm VERY happy that there was a cliff to descend into.

Had another CFI that was afraid to talk to Albuquerque Approach because they are busy and that is "Complex airspace."

WTH.
 
When I was training to become a CFI, I had an experienced CFI push the nose over on me during a power-on, turning stall. It was no big deal to me but it scared him to death.

The same CFI had us doing Eights on Pylons with altitude dropping down to as low as 400 feet; well outside of the recommended procedure.
 
Maybe this thread should be changed to: "My worst moment as a pilot was..."

It's always easy to observe another's flaws. A bit harder (and yet more productive) to analyze our own.
 
dmccormack said:
Maybe this thread should be changed to: "My worst moment as a pilot was..."

It's always easy to observe another's flaws. A bit harder (and yet more productive) to analyze our own.
Click to expand...

Is the statute of limitations up? :D

On my very first introductory flight with a CFI, he made a 180 on the runway after landing and was chewed out royally by the controller for doing so without authorization. He looked at me off-mic and ranted about the controller. Not a good first impression.
 
Now I dont have a horror story for me (yet) however i have seeen the worst landing ever. I was holding short of the active at Trenton Mercer, A cessna 206 was on final coming in very low. the pilot was also very fast. He did not flare bounced about 30 feet then went down again and bounced 20 feet then he kept doing this until his plane was out of airspeed. I didn't get a chance to see the damage but my instructor and I were cracking up.:lightning:
 
I guess I've been sheltered... the worst pilot I ever saw was the lazy goober who
towed his cherokee into mine because he tried to squeeze it between two
aircraft rather than go around mine (my airplane was on the end of the
tie-down row). pretty stupid move... :-(
 
I have seen lots of close calls from people who should have crashed.

But the one that sticks out in my mind was when I was a student sitting in the left seat with my CFI to the right. I was just finishing the engine start checklist, my nose was pointed at the arrival end of the runway, in comes a 182 going kinda fast. We both look up and see him hit both mains-BOUNCE-then left main/nose/right main -BOUNCE-both main, nose - BOUNCE! I say well he is current as we loose site of him on the runway and then we hear the CRUNCH.

I secure the airplane and we dart out to see down the runway a little further and he is all crinkled up on the runway. My CFI calls 911 and gets on the radio (his handheld) to tell other planes the runway is fouled and to go elsewhere.

I run to the airplane that has crashed and as I approach fuel is pouring out of the wing, I see the pilot starting to get himself out of the wreckage and I grab his arm and pull him clear and get away form the plane in case of fire. I ask him if he is alright and he says yes.

Then he floored me at what he said next, "I must have blown a tire". Ya dude thats what it was not your lousy technique.

Turns out he had just bought the plane that morning and was not supposed to be flying it until he got 5 hours of dual in it, but no CFIs were around to start him flying it. So he figured he knew enough. He ended up loosing his plane and his certificate from what I have heard.

It all reminds me of this dingle berry

 
wsuffa said:
Is the statute of limitations up? :D

On my very first introductory flight with a CFI, he made a 180 on the runway after landing and was chewed out royally by the controller for doing so without authorization. He looked at me off-mic and ranted about the controller. Not a good first impression.
Click to expand...


that is hilarious hahah

my worst experience was a guy who decided to fly into a non-towered airport with a 3500' runway. I made all of my position calls, flew over the airport at +1500', descended out to hop on the 45, came into the pattern, only to find him swoop in on final to join me, completely unannounced. I checked the final, but I guess I missed him, which automatically puts some of the blame on me, but you learn from your mistakes huh?
Well anyway, at that point, I got on the radio again and said I was going to depart and enter the 45 again, and THEN he replied.

I came back in on the pattern and landed, and asked the two guys what that was all about. Apparently, the PIC (and only pilots) push-to-talk button was in-op, and it was "too much trouble" to reach over, or have his friend push it for him. Whether it broke before or after the flight, i'm not sure, but I sure as hell wouldn't take my plane up like that. Even had it happened in flight, I would probably turn around and go home, instead of constantly reaching over to the right seat yoke.

So yeah, I mean, a broken PTT might not be that significant, but the fact that the pilot became completely complacent and stupid about it really ****ed me off.
 
ajalali said:
So yeah, I mean, a broken PTT might not be that significant, but the fact that the pilot became completely complacent and stupid about it really ****ed me off.
Click to expand...

What if he had no radio in his plane to begin with?
 
Also, I see what you're getting at. You're asking me the "what if," had I been landing at an airport with someone else who had no radio at all to begin with, right? That is kind of a different story though.
I was just bothered by the fact that he had a radio and didnt use it. That's just plain stupid.

If he didn't have a radio in his plane to begin with, then i guess it just goes to show that I wasn't keeping a good enough eye out, and neither was he, even if he came in from nowhere...and I admit that. On top of that, not to shift blame or anything, but he didn't follow the correct inbound procedure anyway. It was gusting that day, you'd be a fool to not fly over the airport.

Regardless, we all hope to learn from ours and everyone elses mistakes.
 
ajalali said:
Also, I see what you're getting at. You're asking me the "what if," had I been landing at an airport with someone else who had no radio at all to begin with, right? That is kind of a different story though.
I was just bothered by the fact that he had a radio and didnt use it. That's just plain stupid.

If he didn't have a radio in his plane to begin with, then i guess it just goes to show that I wasn't keeping a good enough eye out, and neither was he, even if he came in from nowhere...and I admit that. On top of that, not to shift blame or anything, but he didn't follow the correct inbound procedure anyway. It was gusting that day, you'd be a fool to not fly over the airport.

Regardless, we all hope to learn from ours and everyone elses mistakes.
Click to expand...


Andy,

Not trying to argue just to argue. Ah who the heck am I kidding yes I am. :D Just kidding. Seriously though, there's nothing that states any pilot is required to make radio calls at an uncontrolled field, and unless you fly at a handful of fields in the US (HII is one of them) where there's something published in the AFD stating that "xx is prohibited" there is no "correct" inbound procedure. Correct to me means there is a LEGAL and an ILLEGAL way to do it. Depending where I am coming from I've flown straight in final, crosswind entry, 45 entry to upwind. 45 to downwind. Base entry. Upwind entry straight in. I don't know what your level of experience is, but it sounds like maybe your CFI(s) may have told you there were certain ways things HAD to be done, when that is not always the case. Also, I'm curious as to why I would need to fly over the airport when it is gusting. If I hear everyone else calling out they are landing on 31, and my GPS says the winds favor 31 based on my GS vs IAS, it's probably a pretty safe bet I am not going to land on 13. And if it is gusty, I probably know that somewhere below 3,000 AGL based on the way the plane is flying.

My point is, there is no absolute "correct inbound procedure" unless published. Now, was the guy an idiot? Yes. But was he "incorrect"? If he was on final first, he was legal, you were not, regardless of how dumb he was.

I'm seeing more and more CFIs teach their students things because "that's what I was taught" and it's not necessarily what they should be teaching.
 
EdFred said:
I'm seeing more and more CFIs teach their students things because "that's what I was taught" and it's not necessarily what they should be teaching.
Click to expand...

The "more and more" effect may be the result of your own increased knowledge.

As far as what CFIs should be teaching, there's a real tension between what's required for the Practical and what's required to be safe and successful.

I warn my students that the PTS is a minimum set of requirements for a specific event, and that we will fly and do things outside this narrow framework., since safety and success are the long term goals -- the Practical is a mere hurdle along that path.

This is not to be cavalier, but to experience real world flying.

Thus I file and take them up in actual, take them to short and grass fields, demonstrate S turns on final, stalls with no recovery inputs (hold the yoke back and no power to show how stable the airplane really is and that a stall is not the End Of Life As We Know It), spins -- the works.

I had one airport denizen complain when she heard my student pilot was practicing landings at another field. "You always practice at your home field!" she insisted. Her reasoning was that the student would have landmarks, etc to use.

Sure you do -- if you never plan on going anywhere.

The main objective is to produce a pilot who thinks and can explain why the AIM suggests turning crosswind when within 300' of pattern altitude. It's not a requirement, but it is a reasonable guide and that reasonableness can be demonstrated.
 
dmccormack said:
The main objective is to produce a pilot who thinks and can explain why the AIM suggests turning crosswind when within 300' of pattern altitude. It's not a requirement, but it is a reasonable guide and that reasonableness can be demonstrated.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Just like "always" over flying the field. There are times I do overfly the field, and there are times I do not. But there's always a reason why, and not just because I was taught that way.
 
EdFred said:
Andy,

Not trying to argue just to argue. Ah who the heck am I kidding yes I am. :D Just kidding. Seriously though, there's nothing that states any pilot is required to make radio calls at an uncontrolled field, and unless you fly at a handful of fields in the US (HII is one of them) where there's something published in the AFD stating that "xx is prohibited" there is no "correct" inbound procedure. Correct to me means there is a LEGAL and an ILLEGAL way to do it. Depending where I am coming from I've flown straight in final, crosswind entry, 45 entry to upwind. 45 to downwind. Base entry. Upwind entry straight in. I don't know what your level of experience is, but it sounds like maybe your CFI(s) may have told you there were certain ways things HAD to be done, when that is not always the case. Also, I'm curious as to why I would need to fly over the airport when it is gusting. If I hear everyone else calling out they are landing on 31, and my GPS says the winds favor 31 based on my GS vs IAS, it's probably a pretty safe bet I am not going to land on 13. And if it is gusty, I probably know that somewhere below 3,000 AGL based on the way the plane is flying.

My point is, there is no absolute "correct inbound procedure" unless published. Now, was the guy an idiot? Yes. But was he "incorrect"? If he was on final first, he was legal, you were not, regardless of how dumb he was.

I'm seeing more and more CFIs teach their students things because "that's what I was taught" and it's not necessarily what they should be teaching.
Click to expand...


that's a great point Ed, thanks alot. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

(Sorry about the short response, i'm at work)
 
I don't know if he would be the worst, but this story comes to mind as an example of really bad.

My II and I were up doing practice approaches in the Seminole into Casa Grande, Az. The thing about CGZ is, it is REALLY popular amongst the Phoenix based flight school to use for practice approaches - it's just outside the Bravo, has three good approaches (ILS/VOR/GPS) and is the closest uncontrolled field in the area. With the high volume of training flights in the area, there are some well published procedures for executing approaches to the airport. Everything starts in the hold over CGZ VOR. When inbound to the hold, you are to call and ask for the top of the hold (usually 6-7k), then enter 500 feet above the highest airplane. As planes call on the ground/missed approach, the guy on the bottom (3,500ft) gets to start his approach, then one by one everyone moves down the stack by 500 feet. It's a good system that really works well, so long as everyone participates. And for the most part, everyone does. Except this one guy...

We had entered the hold at 8,500 and slowly worked our way down. The guy in front of us called on the ground as we were finishing our inbound turn, so we went direct the VOR and made the transition to the LOC.

Just after glideslope intercept at a little less than 3000 feet, we hear a Baron call at the FAF inbound, but about 1000 feet above us. We ask him what he's doing. "Shooting the ILS" he tells us. We remind him he's 1000 feet to high for the slope and that the line starts back at 8000 feet. He asks us if we're full stop, we no - low approach only. At this point I take the foggles off to help my instructor look. He says "That's fine, then, I'm descending to join the GS, I'll be on the ground before you make your go around." We point out that from his last position report, he's right on top of us...literally. He tells us "It's not a problem, but if you're concerned you should just break off the approach. I have right away since I'm going to be full stop." We tell him he's badly mistaken on that account, but that we still don't have visual, so we don't know which way to turn to get away from him. I've already dropped below the slope to try to increase our vertical separation when he tells us he sees us, and he's to our right. I start a shallow turn to the left to get away from the final approach course when we finally catch sight of him...still 1000-1500 feet above us and about a mile to our left; not established on any sort of approach at all, and certainly not where he seemed to think he was. We broke out to the right and rejoined the stack at 7,500 this time. Not sure how he made it down in time for the airport, but there were no smoking holes, so I guess it worked for him in the end.
 
OK, OK, I'll bite.

On December 23rd, 2007, weather was typically crappy around here. I logged a total of 10.1 that month (lowest ever). gusty winds, low ceilings, plenty of ice -- all made for poor flying.

I stopped by the airport to look at an airplane and try to remember what it was like to fly. The wind was howling and the low winter scud was whipping by, a few hundred deet above the pavement.

The FBO Line guy (who I know all too well) asks me if I heard about "the guy who landed here yesterday and asked if he was in New York...?".

"No..should I?"

"Well, he landed here yesterday right around closing time (1800 during winter months) and asked if he was in New York State. He said he figured he was because of the Mountains."

"...because of the mountains?"

"Yep. He said he's flying down to Virginia -- Fredericksburg, I think, and he needed to get there for his daughter's recital or some such. His wife and daughter were in the plane -- never got out. He said they were from Michigan..."

"Oh boy..."

"I asked him if he had maps or GPS -- like you guys use -- he said he didn't -- he was just following airports down."

"You're kidding..."

"Nope. So I took him inside to show him our big map [a map there since 1970 something] showed him where we was, and he said he knew where he was now, thanks."

"And then he left?"

"Yep, right at nightfall -- was heading across the mountains towards DC. I thought about calling you -- figured maybe you could talk him out of it or tell him best way to go -- I shoulda, but I didn't..."

"What kind of plane?"

"Looked like a new High wing..."

"A Cessna -- 172?"

"Yep, that's it."

"He get fuel?"

"Nope."

I checked NTSB, but didn't see any entry for the date. Then again, over some of that terrain it may be years before some hiker stumbles upon the wreckage.

If he made it, he's my nomination for dumbest pilot ever.
 
This thread would be the largest one if it included all the real idiots who did indeed leave smoking holes due to their own stupidity. The guys you dudes are discussing are pikers in comparison.
 
Some probably aren't. If your engine suffers catastrophic failure over hostile terrain, you could wind up in the NTSB database through no fault of your own. However, I suspect that the majority have pilot stupidity as probable cause.
 
Just remembered another great one. We were sitting at one side of the self-fuel island getting gas in the Citabria. A guy pulls up in a Cherokee on the other side and is clearly in a rush. I finish with the pump, and he's already on the phone(back when there were phone auth to fuel) to the FBO to start the pump again. He thought I was just going to hand him the pump still running, HAH!

So, I put my fuel caps back on, check my sumps, fiddle with a few things and hop in. He's hung up the hose, and got his started, just then I heard a loud "BOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGG!" And the Exxon sign starts wiggling, I can see it thought the greenhouse. Yep, he taxied the left wing right into the pole.

We got out to have a look, and he shut down and came outside. he asked me if I thought it was ferryable. I looked at the plane, big bash in the left front wing, and saw a decent looking, but clearly angry young woman sitting in the right seat. So, I told him to leave the girl on the ground and go try it. I'd make sure she got home safely (bwahahahahaha). He decided to park it and call an A&P. The girl still wouldn't go with me though, darn.

What a turd.
 
I'd share some stories, but they are all about me.....:eek:

--Matt Rogers
 
We have a pilot around here that was deemed an "Ace", because he had downed 5 aircraft. Two were from running out of fuel between Gladwin and Midland--15 minutes away. (Both airports have fuel). With one aircraft, he wasn't actually at the controls. He hand propped a C-172 with out securing it. It took off without him!

Barb
 
One Short said:
We have a pilot around here that was deemed an "Ace", because he had downed 5 aircraft. Two were from running out of fuel between Gladwin and Midland--15 minutes away. (Both airports have fuel). With one aircraft, he wasn't actually at the controls. He hand propped a C-172 with out securing it. It took off without him!

Barb
Click to expand...
:D:D:D:D:D:goofy::goofy::goofy::goofy:

Is he still approved to rent planes?
 
Well, if you've ever flown with Bill or Brent...Just kidding.

I was a check pilot in CAP, and a commercial pilot wanted to check out in the C182 (non-glass). His skills had deteriorated so much that the only thing he did average on was straight and level. I ended up grabbing the controls on every landing.
 
lahso said:
I was a check pilot in CAP, and a commercial pilot wanted to check out in the C182 (non-glass). His skills had deteriorated so much that the only thing he did average on was straight and level. I ended up grabbing the controls on every landing.
Click to expand...

Let me guess... "I have ten million hours, so don't tell me..."
 
You're right, Dan. After we landed, he was far more humble and we ended up flying about ten hours just to get his skill level to an acceptable level. I never did sign him off to fly solo, though.
 
smigaldi said:
Is that really a true story??

C'mon I find it hard to believe that any real man would stop and ask directions. :D
Click to expand...
I must not be a real man, because i had to stop taxiing and ask for directions at a very easy field, all because I had thought I had landed on the opposite runway and had to taxi to the other end, except that is not where they wanted me. That was embarrasing. And me a commercial pilot.:redface:
 
Aztec Driver said:
I must not be a real man, because i had to stop taxiing and ask for directions at a very easy field, all because I had thought I had landed on the opposite runway and had to taxi to the other end, except that is not where they wanted me. That was embarrasing. And me a commercial pilot.:redface:
Click to expand...

Last time I flew to CLT, I waited and waited for clearance. Finally got it, then switched to ground.

Taxi instructions -- no big deal, right?

Wrong -- me without pen and paper at the ready.

Fortunately he only gave me instructions tot he first intersection.

(We were at Wilson Air at the GA Ramp -- were directed to 18R)

KCLT Airport Diagram

00078AD.PDF
 
Well I have not seen these two but.....

What should have been an easy flight on a clear spring day became a horrific and nearly deadly experience for two Pennsylvania men. All of us in general aviation are still feeling the effects of that flight, which was to have been from Smoketown, Pennsylvania, to a fly-in at Lumberton, North Carolina. Instead, their Cessna 150 strayed into the Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) that surrounds Washington, D.C., and ultimately into the 15-mile flight-restricted zone (FRZ) over the very center of the capital. Flying within a mile of the heart of the federal government, the Cessna 150 took a path that led to the evacuation of the White House and U.S. Capitol. The student pilot on board finally figured out where they were when he spotted the Washington Monument — seconds after an F-16 fired warning flares near them. The 150 was escorted to an outlying airport where the two men were forced to the ground at gunpoint as they exited the airplane — all captured on live television shot from media helicopters hovering overhead. The ensuing media frenzy haunted the men for weeks afterward. Ten days later the FAA revoked the private pilot's certificate.
Click to expand...
http://www.aopa.org/members/files/pilot/2006/flight0601.html
You'll need an AOPA login.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top