An Experiment: I'll Post My Mistakes Per Flight

Sinistar

Sinistar

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Brad
I found the mistake rate thread and poll interesting. So what the heck, I'll post mistakes made on each flight and do it in the name of science or statistics or something else ridiculous and infinitely debatable:) I'll just update this original post each time. Maybe I'll learn something! One entry per flight, listed from oldest to newest. Number of mistakes (N) followed by a brief description. I'm a lowly PPL so far from perfect. My definition of a mistake is something that I did wrong, forgot, shouldn't have done, etc. I'm using a DO-CHECK checklist approach so if I find it during the CHECK I'm gonna call it a mistake.
  1. (3) Verify baggage door locked, wrong frequency entered, missed turn onto runway
  2. (3) Verify baggage door locked, needed a go-around, base leg became a long downwind to final turn (bad!)
  3. (0) A 1hr flight before sunset to get ready for night currency flight. Everything went great.
  4. (1) 45min night flight. On every pattern lap I misjudged the base turn, turning to early and having to slip to land. Its like those lights looked so far away that I turned early. If it was once it wouldn't be a mistake but I did it every single time.
  5. (2) Took a friend up, flew in some rain, great flight. Had the prop out just a bit and landed it that way instead of full forward. Forgot the pre-takeoff briefing.
  6. (2) Quick solo flight. Winds got real gusty on me so I was rushing to get down and two mistakes: Way, way too high on final (go-around duh, now more nervous). And I was feeling so rushed to be done that I locked the brakes (screeched!) for a early turnoff instead of rolling farther.
  7. (2) Family+Dog flight to our favorite Pizza place. Didn't note my outbound heading (duh!). During shutdown pulled the mixture knob out a bit hard and the little collar came off (remember...smooth!)
  8. (3) Gopro test flight. Messed with tablet within 200ft of takeoff (twice!). Pushed throttle in too fast on a takeoff and engine barked at me...remember smooth!)
  9. (4) Gopro audio tests flight. Where to start. Didn't research destination runway so took off over lake when didn't need to. Took off uphill (didn't need to). Called a departure on a upwind (stupid call, didn't do it thankfully). Forgot to do the startup checklist!
 
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o boy... if I start making a list of mine.... its gonna be a long list every flight
 
Why? What's with all these threads on mistakes and and **** ups. Don't you know you're supposed to keep those to yourself. No witness no foul always works for me.
 
If you don’t write it ,it didn’t happen.
 
I hate to be brutally honest, but who cares? We all make them.
 
My steaks are about ready to grill... oh, wait, I misread the title. Thought it was another food thread. Oh, well, beers are on me.
 
Sinistar said:
I found the mistake rate thread and poll interesting. So what the heck, I'll post mistakes made on each flight and do it in the name of science or statistics or something else ridiculous and infinitely debatable:) I'll just update this original post each time. Maybe I'll learn something! One entry per flight, listed from oldest to newest. Number of mistakes (N) followed by a brief description. I'm a lowly PPL so far from perfect. My definition of a mistake is something that I did wrong, forgot, shouldn't have done, etc. I'm using a DO-CHECK checklist approach so if I find it during the CHECK I'm gonna call it a mistake.
  1. (3) Verify baggage door locked, wrong frequency entered, missed turn onto runway
  2. (3) Verify baggage door locked, needed a go-around, base leg became a long downwind to final turn (bad!)
Click to expand...
One time I had another aircraft call me on ground to say "hey buddy... your baggage door is open"...
 
My FO made the mistake of neglecting to start the APU taxiing in, I made the bigger mistake of not catching it before shutting down the third engine.:rolleyes:
 
Sinistar said:
...I'll post mistakes made on each flight and do it in the name of science or statistics or something else ridiculous and infinitely debatable:) I'll just update this original post each time. Maybe I'll learn something! ..
Click to expand...
When I started lessons, I put up a blog to post 'what I done today', 'lessons learned', and 'what to do next time'. Early on it really helped me understand what I was doing right and wrong and give me something specific to work on for the next flight. It's good practice and a real value but I kind of ran out of steam after a while. I still try and set some specific goal for each flight (better altitude management, softer soft field landings, etc) and do a mental debrief on the way home from the flight. If I want to dig into some specific part of the flight I'll pull up the track log on CloudAhoy (as generated by ForeFlight) so I can pick apart a specific activity using objective data; thinking you're doing a good job of holding altitude vs seeing how much you swing around keeps ya honest!

FYI, Navy pilots get a full eval after every carrier landing so keeping track of your performance puts you in good company.
 
Ryanb said:
I hate to be brutally honest, but who cares? We all make them.
Click to expand...
NP, brutally honest gets right to the point. Speaking of getting to the point...you do know you can just ignore a thread you're not interested in.
 
Sinistar said:
NP, brutally honest gets right to the point. Speaking of getting to the point...you do know you can just ignore a thread you're not interested in.
Click to expand...

Real POAers don't ignore threads, we attack and ridicule them, especially ones like this, Sinistar! :rockon:
 
Kansas Flyer said:
Why is having a go around a mistake?

Seems to me that it only would've been a mistake if you should've gone around and didn't.
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I tallied the need for this go around as a mistake. It was a nice calm night, the puppy was in the back on his first ride doing fine. All was well. At this point, such a easy setup like this should nevet require a go around. Now had it been a crappy crosswind, or something on the runway or for training then I definitely would call needing a go around a mistake.
 
Sinistar said:
NP, brutally honest gets right to the point. Speaking of getting to the point...you do know you can just ignore a thread you're not interested in.
Click to expand...
I don’t mean to be jerk or anything by that comment. Point is, don’t concern yourself with trying to report back to us after each mistake you make (unless you really want to). We all make them, and as long as you correct it to a safe outcome after doing so, than you did the right thing!
 
Hey @Ryanb, my goal was to try this experiment where I logged my goof ups, in public, and see what I learn from it and others. As @Shepherd already said, there is a post length limit so won't be able to log that many. Plus I might just get bored with the idea. If I'm lucky I get to fly once a week so it won't be moving too quickly. And as my wife said with a grin earlier this evening...the big mistakes go in NASA reports :)
 
Sinistar said:
Hey @Ryanb, my goal was to try this experiment where I logged my goof ups, in public, and see what I learn from it and others. As @Shepherd already said, there is a post length limit so won't be able to log that many. Plus I might just get bored with the idea. If I'm lucky I get to fly once a week so it won't be moving too quickly. And as my wife said with a grin earlier this evening...the big mistakes go in NASA reports :)
Click to expand...
While I’m sure your wife means well the truly big mistakes go in the newspapers and make it to national teeveeeee
 
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