True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Night

U

Unregistered

Guest
After my flight last night, I may hang up my wings. I would like candid feedback from fellow pilots.

For context, I am one of the most organized and careful pilots out there. I follow the book religiously and have very high minimums. I have 400 hours and fly high performance planes. I file a flight plan every time, and use flight following, even though my plane has TCAS.

Last night I could have killed myself and my passengers. I’m tempted to call it quits.

What happened? In a nutshell, I briefly had a brain fart about altitude and location at night in super-complex LA airspace. And I almost hit a radio tower. The advanced TAWS system in my plane shouted, “Pull Up!!! Obstacle Ahead!!! Pull Up!!!!”. I applied full power and climbed 500 feet fast.

When I looked back at the Sectional, I was indeed close to a very high antennae near the airport I had never noticed. Without the TAWS warning, would I have hit it? Maybe. Maybe not. Was I close…yes…way too close…not sure exactly, but probably 300 feet, maybe less.

And yes, I’m night current, with instruction just last week from a tough CFI who said I was “extremely” proficient at night.

I’m incredibly discouraged this morning, thinking, wow…if after all the training I’ve done, the seminars, the reading, the safety webinars, what else is out there that could kill me in an instant? After all, I’m human, and humans sometimes have brain farts. It’s just that in GA, a brain fart can mean instant death.

Granted, I learned a lesson. But this “lesson” could have also been the end of me and a disaster for my family and my friend’s family.

Today, I’m considering leaving aviation, even though it’s truly my life’s passion. As much as I love it, I don’t want to die for it.

So there you have it. Thoughts appreciated! Don’t worry about criticizing me. I need to make the right decision here.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

First, thanks for sharing. Second, just what was your mistake and how could it be avoided in the future (so others can learn).


And finally, everyone with any significant level of flying experience has had a "@#$%^, that was close" experience like yours, so you ain't the first to have been there. The key, as with falling off a horse, is to get back in the saddle right away so you don't psych yourself out of it.
 
Last edited:
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

3000 hours.
VOR approach to minimums, one which puts you amongst a bunch of towers.
After the FAF I noticed a course deviation on the HH moving map. I kept that needle centered though; we all know a HH device is a backup or advisory and prone to error, that's why they aren't certified etc. Time from FAF to MAP is only a few minutes. Between (hand)flying the plane, repeatedly telling a departing plane 'no we cant cancel until on the ground as it is below vfr mins', telling pax to knock off with the questions, the few minutes slipped by til I noticed the problem, corrected for it then immediately broke out, found the runway somehow.
"How could a high time pilot dial in the wrong radial?"

Whenever I take off out of that airport now, I am chilled by the view of all the towers in the area of the radial I was on.

Don't quit, become surreally vigilant!
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

I bet you don't do that **** again. Sounds like you're training and equipment worked as it should excellent job excellent job reacting quickly and correctly that's the stuff that can't be taught and probably why you're CFI is comfortable with your night flight abilities.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

You need to up your risk tolerance and throw in a little cowboy behavior. Despite the rhyme it is the cautious pilots that die like flies. I did similar flying move, pre electronicals, flying West of Daytona at my usual cruising altitude of 1,200' nice controller clued me in about the towers. But yeah we are human and we will make mistakes, some of those mistakes might kill us. Sometimes survival is just random luck. We'd all be dead if X was there when we did Y. Hey if you quit flying what is going to be your mission in life? Providing a big overly furnished suburban house to some woman?:lol: Every man has to have a mission, make it a worthy one. Relax a little, go buzz something(without all the screaming electronicals turned on.)
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

If you fly a lot, and are human, there is no way to avoid making mistakes, and some may be close calls.
If this were me, I'd sit down with myself, do a deep objective (as much as practical) analysis of what went wrong, and where I had messed up, going back to things like complacency, pre-flight planning, in-flight distractions, real life pressures, etc.
I'd then map out a plan for changes in my routine that will make a repeat of the event (or anything similar) an extremely low probability. Then I'd fly the plan.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Let's say you didn't get the warning and flew over the tower by 300' and didn't even know. You would arrive fat, dumb and happy and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

What is the tolerance level of your warning system? The airport that I fly out of is in a valley the 430 is screaming terrain warnings almost the whole time you are in the pattern.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Antenna was unlit?
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

True confessions?

I did it once on the VOR 34 into DMW a few years ago when I first moved out there. The inbound from the VOR is actually 358 deg. I was so used to flying GPS and approaches where the inbound was the same as the runway heading, I dialed in the RWY instead of the inbound. Broke out high enough it didn't make a difference, but yes, I about crapped my pants thinking of what he consequences might have been.
Good part is I've never made that mistake again. Neither will you.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Fellow pilots...from the OP....

First, thanks for the encouragement. If I continue flying, I will do all of the above and more. My hesitation is around what is the next big Lessonn Learned and will it get me this close to disaster again?

To answer the questions above, I was flying into my home base in So. Cal. for the first time at night. I brifely became a bit disoriented as to location, even with the moving map. Just did not recognize the roads.

I ended up descending to about 1,650 MSL, thinking I was closer to the airport than I was. In looking at the sectional, there is a tower in that vicinity that goes to 1,534 MSL. How close was I? Not sure. Probably not that close, but much closer than I should have been.

Lessons Learned...
* Easier to get disoriented at night, even near home base; lights all look the same
* Need to more carefully plan by looking at obstacles near the airport
* Stay higher at night until field is in sight
* Monitor altitude even more carefully at night
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Don't overreact.

Identify the cause(s) of the brain fart, and change procedure to make sure it never happens again.

It sounds as if you need a backup navigation. I try to use the GPS in addition to VORs when appropriate. If they don't agree and the reason isn't really obvious (e.g., a wrong radial), get the F out and figure it out.

I'd also suggest flying quasi-IFR at night. Use the approaches and MEAs/OROCAs. Even lit obstructions can be hard to spot sometimes, with all the lights around a big city. Unlit obstructions -- and these exist even on mountaintops in busy airspace -- are even worse. For instance, I give Mt. Diablo a wide berth at night. It's the highest peak in the Bay Area and has an unlit tower on the summit (a former lighted airway beacon).
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Don't hang it up. Mistakes happen. So long as we learn from them we are less likely to become an unpleasant statistic.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Thanks for sharing.

These things happen.

Closest a brain fart has come to killing me recently was on a bicycle ride. Had to do with a traffic light, but screeching tires got my attention - and the resulting collision would have led to serious injury or death and been 100% my fault.

Yes, it shook me. Dwelt on it for quite a while. But still ride.

May I ask your age? I'm 65 and I find these oopsies have to be guarded against more and more as I age.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Kind of have a lot of questions myself. Kind of curious how high you were flying. Lots of areas in LA where 2500 can pop up on you lot fewer at 55-6500.

I don't have as much experience as you do, but I guess my question is why fly anywhere where you'd be that close to the ground at night. That to me is the question if it's fly up to 3500 instead of 5500 at night... Because it saves 5 minutes in climb... To me that's the bigger question. Altitude at night is just so valuable.... When you say it was an altitude error does that mean your altimeter was set to 30.22 2 weeks ago and with low pressure 300 feet made a difference or something different.

Just to many open questions to really get a good frank opinion. My semi-kind of opinion... If you chose altitude x to save 5 minutes of time that's going my to be a more consistent human temptation than anything else and could be dangerous... if it's really misread a 4 as a 6 on the altimeter in the thousands ... That seems like something that's unlikely to recur.

Maybe worth asking a dangerous follow up what's really more dangerous? Not filing a flight plan but filling up the tanks or calculating a 2 hr flight out with fuel adding 45 for reserves but then getting an higher than forecast headwind and leaving oneself with fewer options in 2 hrs when things develop worse. I personally prefer to leave the extra margin where I will need margin. Altitude at night, fuel for a long cross country, gross weight at altitude. In other words be aware of the high risk and give margin for that.

Just my take.

Edit- I see you answered some of my questions while I was typing. Hopefully my thoughts are helpful
 
Last edited:
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

To answer the questions, I flew this flight at 5,500 feet, with 3,000 foot clearance on the route I chose. This happened on final descent into vicinity of airport. It was a 30 minute flight and I had 6 hours of fuel. And I am in my mid 50'.

gov98 said:
Kind of have a lot of questions myself. Kind of curious how high you were flying. Lots of areas in LA where 2500 can pop up on you lot fewer at 55-6500.

I don't have as much experience as you do, but I guess my question is why fly anywhere where you'd be that close to the ground at night. That to me is the question if it's fly up to 3500 instead of 5500 at night... Because it saves 5 minutes in climb... To me that's the bigger question. Altitude at night is just so valuable.... When you say it was an altitude error does that mean your altimeter was set to 30.22 2 weeks ago and with low pressure 300 feet made a difference or something different.

Just to many open questions to really get a good frank opinion. My semi-kind of opinion... If you chose altitude x to save 5 minutes of time that's going my to be a more consistent human temptation than anything else and could be dangerous... if it's really misread a 4 as a 6 on the altimeter in the thousands ... That seems like something that's unlikely to recur.

Maybe worth asking a dangerous follow up what's really more dangerous? Not filing a flight plan but filling up the tanks or calculating a 2 hr flight out with fuel adding 45 for reserves but then getting an higher than forecast headwind and leaving oneself with fewer options in 2 hrs when things develop worse. I personally prefer to leave the extra margin where I will need margin. Altitude at night, fuel for a long cross country, gross weight at altitude. In other words be aware of the high risk and give margin for that.

Just my take.
Click to expand...
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

You don't consider giving up driving every time you have an "oh ****" moment, do you?

As others have said, these things happen. Humans make mistakes. Unless it's a pattern of close calls indicating a fundamental problem, it's just normal human error.

I only have 181 hours, and I've had a few close calls already with weather, other airplanes, etc. Some of them were beyond my control. I do my best to make things as safe as possible, but I'm sure I will have other scary moments. It's just how life works in any contraption moving faster than walking speed.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Just my opinion is your biggest mistake was trying to hand fly an IFR approach single pilot.
If i understood your description properly.
The professionals won't do this (135 or 121) so I won't either.
You should have either been using the autopilot, or had another qualified pilot with you IMO. This would have freed up your resources and possibly allowed you to double check everything sooner.
You still might have made the same mistake, and now you have a good lesson on why you double check everything, but the risk of doing so would have been less.

Brian
 
Last edited:
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
Granted, I learned a lesson. But this “lesson” could have also been the end of me and a disaster for my family and my friend’s family.

Today, I’m considering leaving aviation, even though it’s truly my life’s passion. As much as I love it, I don’t want to die for it.
Click to expand...

So if you care about your family and you don't want to "die doing what you love", how about not fly at night? Day VFR is far more forgiving of brain farts. Disorientation and brain farts aside, assuming you are flying a piston single, what would you have done if your motor quit over that dense urban area, low altitude, with you in the dark? There is a very good chance you would have ended up just as dead as you would be hitting the tower.

Just throwing it out there. I personally avoid night flying for this reason.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Well. You answered my questions. I'd say at this point stuff happens and you learn by living.

I do agree with some of the assessment re:risk of night vfr, but that's not a huge part of this discussion.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

A change in behavior due to experience equals learning.

I messed up a landing on the beach last week and could have put us in the water.

Lesson learned.....look for small dips in the beach before touching the wheels on the ground.

I have another flight to that beach today.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
After my flight last night, I may hang up my wings. I would like candid feedback from fellow pilots.

For context, I am one of the most organized and careful pilots out there. I follow the book religiously and have very high minimums. I have 400 hours and fly high performance planes. I file a flight plan every time, and use flight following, even though my plane has TCAS.

Last night I could have killed myself and my passengers. I’m tempted to call it quits.

What happened? In a nutshell, I briefly had a brain fart about altitude and location at night in super-complex LA airspace. And I almost hit a radio tower. The advanced TAWS system in my plane shouted, “Pull Up!!! Obstacle Ahead!!! Pull Up!!!!”. I applied full power and climbed 500 feet fast.

When I looked back at the Sectional, I was indeed close to a very high antennae near the airport I had never noticed. Without the TAWS warning, would I have hit it? Maybe. Maybe not. Was I close…yes…way too close…not sure exactly, but probably 300 feet, maybe less.

And yes, I’m night current, with instruction just last week from a tough CFI who said I was “extremely” proficient at night.

I’m incredibly discouraged this morning, thinking, wow…if after all the training I’ve done, the seminars, the reading, the safety webinars, what else is out there that could kill me in an instant? After all, I’m human, and humans sometimes have brain farts. It’s just that in GA, a brain fart can mean instant death.

Granted, I learned a lesson. But this “lesson” could have also been the end of me and a disaster for my family and my friend’s family.

Today, I’m considering leaving aviation, even though it’s truly my life’s passion. As much as I love it, I don’t want to die for it.

So there you have it. Thoughts appreciated! Don’t worry about criticizing me. I need to make the right decision here.
Click to expand...

First off you only have 400hrs, you're still new to much of this stuff, don't beat yourself up too much, you screwed up, there is a reason why no one would hire a 400hr pilot to fly pax a night, you need more experience, which will come with time.

Second are you instrument rated? Nine times out of 10 I fly IFR approaches at night, even if I'm VFR neg FF, just for that reason.

The only thing that concerns me were your statements where you said

"I am one of the most organized and careful pilots out there"

No, you're not. You don't have the experience to be that organized and careful. Also don't rely on your systems or machine to cover your butt, that stuff fails.

If it were me I would realize the system I was using is indeed flawed, I would re think how I plan and fly night ops, get your instrument rating if you don't already have it, and use it if you do have it, remember you can use many IFR procedures while being 90% eyes outside with VFR and without talking to a soul.

But if you feel like you shouldn't fly anymore, I am inclined to agree with you, you know yourself much better than I do.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

brcase said:
Just my opinion is your biggest mistake was trying to hand fly an IFR approach single pilot.
If i understood your description properly.
The professionals won't do this (135

Brian
Click to expand...


WHAT.....are you talking about? 135 pilots do this all the time. If you can't hand fly an approach......time to give it up.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
After my flight last night, I may hang up my wings. I would like candid feedback from fellow pilots.
Click to expand...

You need your instrument rating. NOTHING else will give you the confidence you are seeking. IFR in the LA basin is MUCH easier than VFR, and safer.:yes:


All you have to do IFR is program the box and then do the EXACT same thing you have done hundreds of times before.

And, you don't need any autopilot!!!
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Too much reliance on electronics.

It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals before their flights anymore.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Thanks for all the great insights. I am humbled, but my love of flying hasn't changed a bit.

Another lesson, said more eloquently above, is night flying is safer under IFR. I am 1/3 way through IFR. This was technically a VFR flight, skies clear. But as I have read so many places, night can be just like IFR. This was the first time I experienced it full on.

My takeoff on this flight was over water, which ended up in total darkness, with reliance only on instruments. And the approach...though it was perfect VFR, looked surprisingly unfamiliar. All my usual visual clues were missing.

Truly, I appreciate the wise counsel. on this site! I'm inclined not to "hang it all up", but instead to view night flying with much, much more caution and care.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

brcase said:
Just my opinion is your biggest mistake was trying to hand fly an IFR approach single pilot.
If i understood your description properly.
Click to expand...
From the OP's description, I am not certain he was IFR. I got the feeling he was VFR at night trying to navigate around LA airspace.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

kgruber said:
You need your instrument rating. NOTHING else will give you the confidence you are seeking. IFR in the LA basin is MUCH easier than VFR, and safer.:yes:


All you have to do IFR is program the box and then do the EXACT same thing you have done hundreds of times before.

And, you don't need any autopilot!!!
Click to expand...
This! A/P reduces workload, but it won't keep you from hitting the tower if you set your heading and altitude take you there.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
Thanks for all the great insights. I am humbled, but my love of flying hasn't changed a bit.

Another lesson, said more eloquently above, is night flying is safer under IFR. I am 1/3 way through IFR. This was technically a VFR flight, skies clear. But as I have read so many places, night can be just like IFR. This was the first time I experienced it full on.

My takeoff on this flight was over water, which ended up in total darkness, with reliance only on instruments. And the approach...though it was perfect VFR, looked surprisingly unfamiliar. All my usual visual clues were missing.

Truly, I appreciate the wise counsel. on this site! I'm inclined not to "hang it all up", but instead to view night flying with much, much more caution and care.
Click to expand...
Brain farts or overlooking critical items can happen when your brain is over-worked - task saturated. IMO, it is more challenging to fly VFR at night around/under...etc complex Class B airspace than it is to fly IFR.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

brcase said:
Just my opinion is your biggest mistake was trying to hand fly an IFR approach single pilot.
If i understood your description properly.
The professionals won't do this (135 or 121) so I won't either.
You should have either been using the autopilot, or had another qualified pilot with you IMO. This would have freed up your resources and possibly allowed you to double check everything sooner.
You still might have made the same mistake, and now you have a good lesson on why you double check everything, but the risk of doing so would have been less.

Brian
Click to expand...
Bit difference in the speed of 121 or 135 than many of our spam cans. My approach speed is 75 kts.

If I didn't hand-fly an approach, I'd never be able to fly IFR. Decades of people flying approaches without an autopilot, and still do, and will continue to do so.

Since you insist an autopilot is critical, you're more than welcome to pay for the installation of an autopilot in my cherokee. Can I have an HSI, too? Please? Pretty please?
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

EdFred said:
Too much reliance on electronics.

It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals before their flights anymore.
Click to expand...

I have to agree here.

Especially at night (though, really, any time), plan your navigation using more than one method. Not just pilotage. Things look different, and often times a whole mountain looks just like a lake on a dark night -- just a black spot with no lights. And LA has something like 60 freeways and they all look alike. Is that flashing light you see on Mt. Hollywood or Mt. Wilson? At night at 1500, they look the same.

In addition to (and NOT instead of) identifying landmarks, at an absolute minimum, fill out a nav log and/or follow a radial with DME. You can use a magenta line, but back it up with something that isn't another magenta line. Among other things, this helps identify programming errors. Don't always believe the GPS over other methods.

You should know ahead of your flight where all the significant obstacles are, and how long it will take you to traverse each leg of the flight.

I find planning the old fashioned way -- not just plugging into Foreflight -- yields a much closer examination of the sectional, both in terms of identifying good checkpoints and enumerating obstacles.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

If you're 1/3 the way through instrument training, you know how approaches work. Use them. Even VFR. If you want, you can ask SoCal for a "practice approach," though it won't matter much unless the procedure intersects Class B. They may wonder what the F you're doing if you do a procedure turn without telling them.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

EdFred said:
Too much reliance on electronics.

It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals before their flights anymore.
Click to expand...

Thank you sir. I was going to mention this, but my inherent fear of being lambasted by the 'experts' held me back. Now that you've posted, I can tag along and say I was thinking of this all along! ;)

A few years back I was bringing a plane to TX from N IN. It was Mem wknd and I decided I might as well go to the Indy 500. So, I made a bee-line for west side of Indy, from the NE and grabbed the sectional to have a look. Well, plenty of towers to deal with at 1800' and the floor of the C is 2100, so that was going to get interesting. I even called up Indy app for FF, and they denied me due to heavy traffic, so it was on my own, and I studied that chart for a while making sure I wasn't going to get skewered.

Use the chart. Reliance on the electrons should be secondary.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

EdFred said:
It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals .......
Click to expand...


[sarcasm]
What's a "sectional?" Really!!!!!
[/sarcasm]


Everybody seems to have a brick of a tablet strapped to their autopilot laden air vehicle. What is happening to piloting and pilotage?

It is not good to not know where you are going.............ahead of time.........and ahead of the airplane.:no:
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

EdFred said:
Too much reliance on electronics.

It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals before their flights anymore.
Click to expand...

I enjoy studying the charts because I find them interesting, but I had the opposite problem one night returning home to FRG after dropping friends off at CDW. Couldn't see the dimly lit runway until the controller turned up the lights, after I blew through final while on base:redface:.

Yet I had the G1000 magenta line pointing right to it.:eek:
 
Last edited:
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

EdFred said:
Too much reliance on electronics.

It seems no one studies (I mean REALLY studies) the sectionals before their flights anymore.
Click to expand...

Guilty as charged. That said, I bet I study them more than most.

And I know it's electronic, but I used Foreflight's Profile feature to study my oerall route to make sure chosen altitude was high enough. That said, Foreflight didn't and can't make up for not reading every single symbol and marking on any chart.

Another lesson learned.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Maybe you could plan the same flight again, making sure to use the old fashion land marks and legs methods, and ace the flight. Replace the bad experience with a good one.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
Thanks for all the great insights. I am humbled, but my love of flying hasn't changed a bit.

Another lesson, said more eloquently above, is night flying is safer under IFR. I am 1/3 way through IFR. This was technically a VFR flight, skies clear. But as I have read so many places, night can be just like IFR. This was the first time I experienced it full on.

My takeoff on this flight was over water, which ended up in total darkness, with reliance only on instruments. And the approach...though it was perfect VFR, looked surprisingly unfamiliar. All my usual visual clues were missing.

Truly, I appreciate the wise counsel. on this site! I'm inclined not to "hang it all up", but instead to view night flying with much, much more caution and care.
Click to expand...

Safer? Well you wouldn't have almost hit a antenna :wink2:

As for IFR in VMC, yeah, I will fly a VFR altitude, and plan more or less to the IF or IAF of a airport, all VFR/VMC no flight following, no flight plan, what ever alttude which will give me a good clearance over things.

I do it for the reason you discovered, there are plenty of towers that ether don't have working lights or have really crappy lights.

As for the autopilot comment, LAMO, if you can't fly IFR without a A/P you will never pass your ride anyways, and for the situation the OP was in its not really IFR, not IMC, you're just navigating to way points to avoid hard to see stuff, eye balls would still be outside 90% of the time, AP would be nice, but certainly not needed.

VWGhiaBob said:
Guilty as charged. That said, I bet I study them more than most.

And I know it's electronic, but I used Foreflight's Profile feature to study my oerall route to make sure chosen altitude was high enough. That said, Foreflight didn't and can't make up for not reading every single symbol and marking on any chart.

Another lesson learned.
Click to expand...

I use the profile feature all the time, even as a working pilot, just know it's only a off the cuff estimate, if you're in a rush you could probably just find a good altitude with the profile view, add 2k to it and you'd probably be safe 99% of the time.

Insert Capt. Obvious statement to always double check on your charts.
 
Last edited:
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Fearless Tower said:
Brain farts or overlooking critical items can happen when your brain is over-worked - task saturated.
Click to expand...

Yes, they most certainly can.

But I find mine occur mostly when I'm just coasting along and maybe not giving a task the attention it deserves.

But That's Just Me™!
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

It sounds like the significant contributor was that you were flying at night without a whole lot of night experience. (Yes, I acknowledge that you said your instructor said you did great flying at night and you were night current and I believe you). Now, as more than half of my 800 hours (non-commercial) were flown at night, let me share some things that, hopefully, will help.

Let me just say that I am still not totally comfortable flying at night, especially VFR, even though I do it.

I always take a more careful look at the weather, definitely the forecasts (FA, TAFs, etc.). And it doesn't matter whether or not it's a local flight. I always study the terrain along my planned route, no matter how many times I've flown it. If I leave the airport area, I always plan my flight with waypoints (that I can see at night), headings, etc. on a flight planner. (And, yes, all the VORs, etc. - no, I don't have GPS, unfortunately).

When I started to earnestly fly at night, I did it because it was easier for superficial reasons: the scheduling was easier, there is less traffic, it was after work, almost no deadline to get back as no one scheduled the plane after me, no sun in my eyes, etc. etc.

But I didn't just go somewhere far. I was nervous about it so I just stayed in the pattern. I think my first dozen or so flights were just in the pattern at Hayward (HWD). Then I got a little braver, so I flew south a few miles and flew back. I did this a few times as well. Until I was sure I can find my way back in the dark (plus being close in case the fog came in), I flew to Palo Alto (PAO) and came back. Yep, I did this quite a few times too. Then for the longest time, I just flew to Palo Alto, San Carlos (SQL), and back to Hayward. I learned what the "landscape" looked like at night. I knew what all the bridges looked like at night. I noticed all the lighted towers on the hillsides (there are quite a few). I figured out the best way to find the rotating beacons (just be patient). I recognized what the major freeways looked like. I learned how it looked during a clear night under a full moon. I learned what it looked like without a moon. I learned how the horizon looked during periods of unlimited visibility. Also with fog obscuring the distance. And, what I consider the hardest...how to taxi around an airport in the darkness. And, just as important, I learned how to read my panel at night (especially the altimeter), how to use lighting, how to read charts, etc.

Finally, after a year of doing this, I tried a Bay tour at night.

You get the idea. I invested quite a few hours learning the night landscape and how to fly in it. So, when I take a trip (even to socal - although I go on an IFR plan), at night, I am reasonably comfortable (I didn't say totally) navigating it. (I've got to tell you, though...to me, day VFR is "nothing").

Anyway, don't give up. Just don't think of night flying as being the same as day flying. Take the time to learn how to fly it. Learn how things look like at night. It need not be a arduous as what I've done (I'm a big chicken). One step at a time. You'll do much better next time.
 
Re: True Confessions from an Experienced Pilot: Brain Fart Nearly Killed Me Last Nigh

Unregistered said:
Lessons Learned...
* Easier to get disoriented at night, even near home base; lights all look the same
* Need to more carefully plan by looking at obstacles near the airport
* Stay higher at night until field is in sight
* Monitor altitude even more carefully at night
Click to expand...
Your "Lessons Learned" won't be of much use if you quit flying. So put 'em to use!
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top