Downside to ownership - complacency

[somorris]

"A friend of mine" tried to taxi away from the ramp with the tail still tied down once.

I wonder if your "friend" was flying a C-182 out of KAWM when that happened. I was in my plane ready to go, and noticed the couple next to me climb into a nice 182 with the tail still tied down. I had to delay my departure to see, and sure enough the engine started revving but the airplane was going nowhere .

We do have to be careful though. Like Clint Eastwood said, "A man has to know his limitations." That is why I have no interest in flying a retract. I have enough trouble just remembering to pull the carb heat on. You can have all the checklist and mnemonics you want, but if you get distracted, look out!

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

If blocking the pitot tube is enough to cause an accident someone isn't doing something right.

Certain diminutive pilots might disagree with you... :wink2:

 

[bullwinkle]

I always look at the pitot tube when I start rolling. I did catch the cover on it once that way (I had put it back on when I wasn't sure about the weather, then got in to go when it cleared).

 

[skynewbie]

Glad you're ok Brian. I do a few walk arounds as part of my pre flight. One or two close ups and one farther away back. That helps me catch things that are easy to miss. So you own an E series Bo? Would that be an E35 model with the 225HP engine?

 

[terryd23]

My instructor instilled in me a final look around the plane before departure. The Dumbass check he liked to call it.

That's kinda funny but actually a very good idea. Think I will incorporate that one. Thx.

 

[bluerooster]

One of my CFIs told me I should do a 'sanity check' after the walk around. That consists of standing in front of the aircraft for 15-20 seconds looking for anything 'odd'.

That was pounded into my head at a very young age. And has saved me from embarrassment on more than one occasion.

 

[Unregistered]

I was a student pilot back in the 1980's. Oceanside Airport Ca. My instructor was teaching some ground school to some students one night. I asked if I could do some night flying in the pattern. He said ok. Advised that he would be inside with the class in case I needed anything. I do the preflight etc to to take off. Just as I lifted off the runway I hear this clank, clank clank noise. It scared the crap out of me.. I fly the pattern and return and land. As I am slowing down after landing on the runway the sound slows then stops. I get out of the plane look around. It was my seat belt hanging out of the door. I was so nervious about flying at night. I didn't even notice.....

 

[Unregistered]

Yep, started the accident chain today - here's what happened...

Went to the hangar and the weather was MVFR and I was waiting for the ceilings to go up a little before launching. So I did the preflight and left the pitot and other "remove before flight" items in place - just in case I decided to just give up and go home.

With the extra time, I pulled out what us early Bo owners call "the bible" (the book with all the e series tips and tricks). Spent some time reading and looking over maintenance items for the upcoming annual.

Then I heard a a36 do a run up and go... Wait, where's the iPad for a quick weather update?!

So I pulled the 35 out of the hangar, jumped in for a run up and go!

Wait.. Something isn't right...

Where's the airspeed? I should be indicating 50mph or so...

... Oh ... Pulled the power and turned onto the taxiway...

After a shutdown, I pulled all the "remove before flight" items... Then for a walk around, full run up, off I went...


Checklists are important. Familiarity builds complacency ....

sorry posted in wrong area!!

 

[timwinters]

brian, that has nothing to do with ownership.

Agreed. And there are far more pros to owning than cons. In fact, I'm hard pressd to think of any cons. My spine even loves it because I sit far straighter since my wallet is so much thinner.

 

[coma24]

The perils of the interrupted pre-flight. I've had a front chock left in place once and a pitot tube cover on another occasion.

Since then, one of my few hard and fast rules is that once I start a pre-flight, I do it to completion, no interruptions.

Actually now that I think of it, the pitot tube cover was interesting, it was a super quick turn for a pax restroom break. I figured I'd do the 'right thing' by putting the cover back on while we went inside for a few minutes. I even said to the pax, "gotta pull that pitot cover off when we get back. That would be awkward."

Bathroom break done, heading back to airplane, many stories being told (this was a guy I'd known for a long time online, but it was our first flight together), lots of talking, laughing, get in the plane, get him all strapped in and connected, then off we go.

Takeoff roll, airspeed check...hmm...it's working...ish. Plane feels like it's about to rotate, speed showing about 40-45kias. Then it hits me. Abort takeoff, taxi of shame to the ramp.

The quick turn without a preflight. Ugh.