Your dumbest aviation moment?

jfrye01

jfrye01

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Sep 24, 2013
Messages
150
Location
El Dorado, KS
Display Name
Display name:
Jacob Frye
My dumbest aviation moment happened on a night flight from El Dorado, KS (EQA) to Wichita Mid-Continent (ICT) in my Skyhawk...I added a quart of oil and allowed myself to become distracted...I'm sure you all know where this is going...Long story short, I somehow forgot to replace the oil cap...Upon landing at ICT, I notice oil streaming down the side of the fuselage...I was less than a quart low, but the mess made it look like I had lost several quarts. Anyway, that's my story, what's yours??
 
In my first 200 hours so far. let's see:

  • Left the master switch on
  • Taxi with baggage door open (someone notified me in time)
  • Left parking brake on and ramp guy couldn't tow plane to the hangar
  • left chocks on
  • Turns around a tiedown
  • Busted Bravo once (as a very low hour student)

On my way to the airport now. Maybe the list will grow ;)
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
In my first 200 hours so far. let's see:

  • Left the master switch on
  • Taxi with baggage door open (someone notified me in time)
  • Left parking brake on and ramp guy couldn't tow plane to the hangar
  • left chocks on
  • Turns around a tiedown
  • Busted Bravo once (as a very low hour student)

On my way to the airport now. Maybe the list will grow ;)
Click to expand...

You win.
Keep us posted! :D
 
Probably high on the list would be "streamlining" my Sky Arrow checklist, and somehow forgetting "Canopy - CLOSED AND LATCHED".

With predictable, and potentially serious, consequences.

Details available on request.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
In my first 200 hours so far. let's see:

  • Left the master switch on
  • Taxi with baggage door open (someone notified me in time)
  • Left parking brake on and ramp guy couldn't tow plane to the hangar
  • left chocks on
  • Turns around a tiedown
Click to expand...

Do you use checklists for pre- and post-flight procedures?

Also, do you do a final walkaround before getting in the plane?
 
Got lost in Pennsylvania trying to find Pocono Airport. All I saw were trees and more trees.
 
I can kick your lists' butt.
  • Turned left into Cleveland downtown at night. Missed all the buildings and got Bravo clearance in time but never making THAT mistake again. Technically didn't violate any FARs - just upset a tower controller.
  • Climbed out, flew 5 practice approaches, and landed with the baggage door open (I'm still positive I closed it and it popped open on takeoff)
  • At night did an entire circuit calling runway 27, realized on short final I'm lined up for 9 and went around. This was the same flight where I turned the wrong way.
  • Taxied about 10' with the parking brake MOSTLY on. I hate parking brakes.
  • Had to be reminded by my DPE to pull the chocks after we were already strapped in
  • Accidentally turned the engine off in a cub while attempting a go-around. This technically wasn't my fault but is one hell of a story.

There are probably a couple things I'm not ready to post. Ready for the next 200 hours though!

Each incident resulted in me doing things a bit differently...
 
I once flew 1000' too low because I misread the altimeter by that amount.
 
I left the oil door open on my check ride. DPE and I were strapped in, briefed, engine started and ready to go. I noticed, shut down and got out and closed it. He laughed.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I almost taxied out with my tail tied down with a chain. Had I moved, I'm sure some serious damage would have resulted.
 
On my first Skyhawk flight in a couple of years, I leaned the mixture after landing like I do in the Mooney, killing the engine and coasting off the runway. Had to prime it to crank it up again on the taxiway.
 
Isn't it bad enough that I have to remember them? Airing dirty laundry in public is not for me.

Bob Gardner
 
FastEddieB said:
Details available on request.
Click to expand...



ChrisK said:
I can kick your lists' butt.
  • Accidentally turned the engine off in a cub while attempting a go-around. This technically wasn't my fault but is one hell of a story.
Click to expand...
Details requested! :popcorn:

On my first long cross country, tower told me to call left base. As I was about to call it, they told me I could switch to ground frequency. I asked them why that was because I was still in the air - apparently I took the other base :mad2: after apologizing until I was blue in the face and saying I was a student pilot they only chewed me out a bit. "...can I go home, tower?" "Yes you can, left turn approved, have a good day". The runway was long enough that I stood the entire chewing out while landing and taking off (15,000 feet).

bobmrg said:
Isn't it bad enough that I have to remember them? Airing dirty laundry in public is not for me.

Bob Gardner
Click to expand...
Who knows, some pilots may learn from your mistakes!
 
Night flight to tiny CTAF field (like 2500*30 runway) and forgot to turn my lights on. Realized it when I couldn't see the runway on landing. Thankfully I nailed centerline--the edge lights were about 30 feet past either side of the runway. Turned around on the ground, turned the lights on, and announced departure as a different tail number :)

Thankfully this was a 10nm journey.
 
Be glad! Every narrow field I've ever been to (30-40' wide) has edge lights at the edge of the pavement. It's always fun landing with lights under both wingtips.
 
MtPJimB said:
Busted my first IFR check ride because of that same mistake.
Click to expand...

It's good to get that mistake out of the way during a checkride so it's less likely to occur when it could be dangerous.
 
Hank S said:
Be glad! Every narrow field I've ever been to (30-40' wide) has edge lights at the edge of the pavement. It's always fun landing with lights under both wingtips.
Click to expand...

Yes, but when you can't see the runway and think you have 90ft to work with, it could get dicey!!!

Plus, I fly high wings :)
 
I was 16 and preflighting a 152, and got distracted by a good looking brunette - probably college age or so - getting out of her family's Cherokee one tiedown over. Of course I'm feeling hot-s### because I'm about to go fly, and proceed to walk right into the trailing edge of the left aileron. Knocked me flat on my ass, and left a small gash on my forehead that bled furiously. The family came over to see if I was okay, gave me a towel to help stop the bleeding, and I felt like a complete moron.

If I ever buy a Cessna, it's gonna be a Cardinal or a 210. :)
 
Before every flight the last thing I do before mounting up, is step back behind the wing of my Cessna and get a visual on both fuel tank caps. I know what they should look like in the 'down and locked' position.

There is a good reason I do this. . .
 
Return from a nice vacation:
-- Didn't bother removing the chocks
-- Took off with luggage placed (not tied) in forward part of baggage compartment (which shifted rearward upon take-off).

And then, there was the time I tried taking off with the parking brake on ....
 
kayoh190 said:
I was 16 and preflighting a 152, and got distracted by a good looking brunette - probably college age or so - getting out of her family's Cherokee one tiedown over. Of course I'm feeling hot-s### because I'm about to go fly, and proceed to walk right into the trailing edge of the left aileron. Knocked me flat on my ass, and left a small gash on my forehead that bled furiously. The family came over to see if I was okay, gave me a towel to help stop the bleeding, and I felt like a complete moron.
Click to expand...

Hahah, that is great! :D
 
overdrive148 said:
That's a nice tall glass of nope right there. Glad you made it down okay. Did you get the cosmetic damage fixed?
Click to expand...

Nope.

Replaced the cable and just put strips of white electrical tape in place over the damaged composure. There's structure supporting the hinge, so it is purely cosmetic and hardly noticeable unless you're looking for it.
 
jordane93 said:
Got lost in Pennsylvania trying to find Pocono Airport. All I saw were trees and more trees.
Click to expand...

Yes trees everywhere.
I used to live in Tobyhanna during my flying hiatus, so I didn't get a chance to use that airport until a few years ago. I flew in from FRG. Although I had my charts, I was using a G1000:D
 
I think my dumbest was the other day when I landed and had a brief moment of confusion during the rollout. I saw the intersecting runway sign and thought I landed on the wrong runway:yikes:

I said to my passengers "oh I might have just gotten a pilot deviation":confused:

I think I was slightly stressed flying with two people for the first time, wanting to do my best landing and focusing so hard.

This didn't help either.
Ten miles north of Republic(FRG), I was given three runway changes(that's never happened to me before) due to shifting winds. First the tower said rwy-1, then changed to "enter right downwind for 32", a few seconds later "runway change, make straight-in for 19, report the mall".

Overall, good flight and no problems, just an embarrassing brief moment of confusion that I vocalized to passengers who had no idea what I was talking about:mad2::rofl:
 
Last edited:
weirdjim said:
Went around the PATCH with the tow bar attached ... at 5000 hours PIC. In a hurry to check a maintenance fix.

Jim
Click to expand...

I was thinking about this while towing a Cirrus yesterday, what'd happen if I left this big orange towbar on accidentally and they somehow didn't notice. I imagine it wouldn't be kind to the nosewheel or the aircraft if you hit a snag on the runway or much less took off :nonod:
 
I think by far the dumbest thing I ever did was on an approach into PHX a few years ago. I was flying a Duchess and was trying to help ATC by keeping my speed up on the approach. Typical clear Phoenix VFR day so I intentionally flew the approach with the gear up at around 160 KIAS. My plan involved going a little below GS with the expectation that as I approached the field I would simultaneously pitch up and pull the power back which would quickly get me inside Vlo to drop the gear and make the landing.

As I was approaching the airport I started to experience a moderate chop (the whole descent had been smooth as silk). I went ahead and started to pitch up and slow down a little early not wanting to overstress the airframe and made an uneventful landing.

As I was driving away from the airport it dawned on me that the turbulence I experienced was most likely the wake turbulence of the 737 that I had been following. In my effort to 'help out' ATC, I had without realizing it, descended INTO his wake turbulence. I should have known better, but it didn't occur to me at the time. I was lucky that all I experienced was a moderate chop.
 
Mine happens every once in a while. I go through my checklist yell clear prop and realize the keys are in the glove box. My CFI the first couple of times would look over and ask what's wrong, now he just goes into the glove and hands me the keys.
 
Overshot the LOC for a LDA because I forgot to press CDI on the 430. I got mad at approach and he snarked back did you check your CDI button?

Left the door on the Arrow open until half way to my destination.

Landed with -7 flaps

Pulled the parking brake instead of the carb heat on landing. They look identical.
 
BG305 said:
Mine happens every once in a while. I go through my checklist yell clear prop and realize the keys are in the glove box. My CFI the first couple of times would look over and ask what's wrong, now he just goes into the glove and hands me the keys.
Click to expand...

I have a student that regularly forgets about the master switch. He'll set the mixture, prime it, set the throttle, and then turn the key. I'll just lean over and flip the switch. :lol:
 
acrophile said:
Do you use checklists for pre- and post-flight procedures?

Also, do you do a final walkaround before getting in the plane?
Click to expand...

I do now lol
Most of that was as a low hour student.
 
Yeah I think my CFI might have traumatized me when I first started. He explained you never want they keys in the ignition when your going through your checklist and you are poking around the prop area. The first thing I do is make sure the keys are not in the ignition so I end up yelling clear prop twice.
 
overdrive148 said:
Details requested! :popcorn:

On my first long cross country, tower told me to call left base. As I was about to call it, they told me I could switch to ground frequency. I asked them why that was because I was still in the air - apparently I took the other base :mad2: after apologizing until I was blue in the face and saying I was a student pilot they only chewed me out a bit. "...can I go home, tower?" "Yes you can, left turn approved, have a good day". The runway was long enough that I stood the entire chewing out while landing and taking off (15,000 feet).


Who knows, some pilots may learn from your mistakes!
Click to expand...

Don't fly fatigued. Combination of late return from a Citation trip (pax underestimated how long their meeting would last) and an early morning departure in a [different] company 182RG to PDX further complicated by headwinds/turbulence (read "sick pax") going south and an unexpected hold on a LOC-DME fix at PDX. DME kept blanking out on me, which didn't help. Finally cleared for LOC-DME to rwy 21, which crosses parallel runways 10-28. While on final cleared to land and told to turn left on rwy 28L, but I overshot it and turned left on 28R. Thank goodness I had given the controller his MEL checkride and he recognized my voice. Deplaned some very unhappy passengers, went into Flightcraft's pilot lounge and slept for four hours before deadheading back.

In retrospect, I should have cancelled the morning flight...but I had lobbied for the job, this was my first flight with them, and abandoning the boss would not have gone over well. The boss decided that they didn't need a company plane after all.

Bob
 
BG305 said:
Yeah I think my CFI might have traumatized me when I first started. He explained you never want they keys in the ignition when your going through your checklist and you are poking around the prop area. The first thing I do is make sure the keys are not in the ignition so I end up yelling clear prop twice.
Click to expand...

When does the first one expire? :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top