gprellwitz
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Grant Prellwitz
Congratulations, PILOT! And welcome!
Yeah, that'll get your attention quick!
Whats the scariest thing that's happened to you in flight.
- Thread starter Snaggletooth
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My worst moment undoubtly was in a Cirrus SR-22 3 years ago. I was alone flying P91 for a healthcare company going to pick up the boss for a ride home. I was flying in the Cental plains trying to go-around a north-south line of developing T-storms . I had to fly 100 miles south (dumb move I later learned) to get around what turned out to be some of the nastiest storms I had ever seen in my life. According to the NEXRAD radar that is in the MFD I was well clear of the line and it would be smooth sailing to destination with just some light IMC. Just as I was thinking what a hero I was for making it around those storms enjoying a large exhale I looked up and saw a "little" towering cumulous cloud that I was unable to avoid. All I had time to do was say "well this shouldnt be that bad". I was knocked unconcious. I came to with my head on the co-pilots seat leaking blood from the top of my head onto the white leather seat ( it was a small cut but I still thought I was gonna die). Even though I had my seat belt on but still managed to take an axial load on the top of my head as the plane tried to eject me from my seat. Worse, I was greeted in IMC with 2 giant red X's on both the PFD and the MFD still in Hell soup.I rembered the plane had a chute and I pulled out the arming pin..(I know its on the takeoff checklist but Im not flying around with an armed rocket ..sorry) I quickly shoved the side stick staight down and ripped the throttle back scared like hell that I was in for another jolt. Using the backup steam guages and the G430 that was still operative I pointed the plane at the nearest major airport only to fly through black clouds and rain so hard you could not see the wing tips. I finally popped out of the Imc several minutes later at about 2500-3000AGL. Just as I was going to call center they advised me that they now showed me in an area of extreme precip that had just "popped up". I advised them that I wanted immediate vectors to the airport to land...I could sense the panic in the contollers voice as he described the radar...he never said a word that I decended 6000 feet unannounced. I landed safley and learned a million and a half lessons that day that I will never ever forget....It was 3 weeks before I could bring myself to fly in the clouds again.
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Doggtyred
En-Route
No.. the bird belonged to a private owner, and was on leaseback to the Bay Area Aero Club. It was a freak occurence.. the aircraft were always well maintained. Breaker did its job and broke the circuit and the smoke stopped.
dmccormack
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Dan Mc
I was at 10k over the mountains of Eastern West Virginia in and out of clouds and haze when I caught the faintest whiff of electrical burning. It only lasted a moment but got my attention.
I scanned everything, felt everywhere on the panel, checked all CBs -- the works. Nothing.
Then I got a call from Potomac Approach, "...where not picking you up anymore...please recycle transponder..."
I did -- nuttin.
Transponder had fried internally. That was the smell, but it was enough to increase the pucker factor to Hyper.
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
Welcome to POA and congrats! We'll have to have a Houston POA get-together! Was that story in the Citabria from Rihn-Harvey? Good story!
HOLY S**T!!
Ah, gotcha.
DCat22
Filing Flight Plan
Yep, that was in N1ZZ. (Finished up in a DA20 out of Hooks...looking forward to getting TW current again though.)
gprellwitz
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IIRC, Leslie flying commercial into Houston on Sunday afternoon. In fact, she needs to bail out of a picnic (that we're hosting) in order to make it!
jesse
Touchdown! Greaser!
I was right seat on this..it was...rather interesting.
Holy Cr#p!
A classic "it could happen to any of us" story, a reminder to be ever vigilant...
...good on you, keeping your wits about you when you awoke. Mercy!
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
Who rents DA20's out of Hooks and for how much? I'm really wanting to get some time in DA20's and DA40's - they just look like fun to fly. I also want to get some Citabria time for spin training, more than anything else.
How long is she going to be here? It sounds like we need to visit the Flying Saucer in Houston on Sunday night for $2.75 Texas Beer Night or Monday night for $2.75 pint night! Let me know if she'll have any availability to get together and I'll start a new thread.
(Sorry for the thread drift here.)
DCat22
Filing Flight Plan
DA20 @ DWH: Texas Flight / http://www.txflight.com ($110/hr wet. It's right across from the beacon, facing the water dock...where Hi-Tech used to be, next to Qualitech.)
Texas Flight really needs the business, let them know you talked to Rick if you do head down there. The Diamond is an addictive plane to fly.
(Also, there is a DA20 ($115) and a DA40 G1000 ($~165?) down at AXH with Success Aviation http://www.successaviation.com. Tom and Jenifer are the owners, and very nice people.)
Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
Thanks! I knew about the ones down at AXH - coming from Katy, it's probably the same amount of hassle to get to either one. I'll have to check them out!
I don't think I've seen you around here yet. Welcome!
gprellwitz
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I started a new thread for a [thread=29806]Houston get-together Sunday or Monday night[/thread].
Since it is possible that our favorite regulators might come across this thread, I'll only talk about times when I can point a finger firmly at someone else.
1) The first scary time was as a passenger on a commercial flight from New Jersey to England in a two-engine prop in 1958. It was my first flight ever. Flight was delayed 24 hours because of engine problems. After we got underway, the right engine failed mid-Atlantic, but we continued to refuelling stop in Ireland, in pretty much a dive to the ground. Another 24-hour delay as we waited for a new engine to be flown to Ireland to replace the failed one. People have told me I should have been afraid to fly ever afterward.
2) During primary flight training in a C-152, instructor got too hot on a Florida June afternoon. During the flare, he popped open the window and the plane immediately veered right toward hangars and just barely missed a taxi light. I was able to get it straightened out and landed on one main, lurching left and right down the runway until we ran out of steam, with the CFI cursing the whole way. I fired the CFI before we opened the doors of the plane.
3) With the next CFI at the same school, I took off for landing practice with a thunderstorm in the vicinity nearby. With the storm behind me, on long final, I saw the plane ahead of me going up instead of down for landing. Then he went down, bounced, and on recovery, departed the field. On my short final, with the throttle all the way back, we were going UP at about 500 feet per minute. I asked, "Why are we going up?" and the CFI shouted "Wind shear!" I pushed the throttle all the way in and we managed to not hit the runway when the downdraft got us. That was my last flight with that CFI and with that school.
1) The first scary time was as a passenger on a commercial flight from New Jersey to England in a two-engine prop in 1958. It was my first flight ever. Flight was delayed 24 hours because of engine problems. After we got underway, the right engine failed mid-Atlantic, but we continued to refuelling stop in Ireland, in pretty much a dive to the ground. Another 24-hour delay as we waited for a new engine to be flown to Ireland to replace the failed one. People have told me I should have been afraid to fly ever afterward.
2) During primary flight training in a C-152, instructor got too hot on a Florida June afternoon. During the flare, he popped open the window and the plane immediately veered right toward hangars and just barely missed a taxi light. I was able to get it straightened out and landed on one main, lurching left and right down the runway until we ran out of steam, with the CFI cursing the whole way. I fired the CFI before we opened the doors of the plane.
3) With the next CFI at the same school, I took off for landing practice with a thunderstorm in the vicinity nearby. With the storm behind me, on long final, I saw the plane ahead of me going up instead of down for landing. Then he went down, bounced, and on recovery, departed the field. On my short final, with the throttle all the way back, we were going UP at about 500 feet per minute. I asked, "Why are we going up?" and the CFI shouted "Wind shear!" I pushed the throttle all the way in and we managed to not hit the runway when the downdraft got us. That was my last flight with that CFI and with that school.
Snaggletooth
Line Up and Wait
I flew to KAXH with my CFI to get a logbook on june 6th!!
Maybe one day I can rent that PA-28.
Anyone know of any Beechcraft Bonanza's that you can rent in the area of KLBX?
dmccormack
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Why would the airplane's flight path change with the window open?
I had a CFI tell me to "Open my door" in a C150 while were slipping: "It helps bleed off altitude..."
He popped his door open to demonstrate. I'd never been in a slip, it was not explained beforehand, and I had no idea why we had to "bleed off altitude." (This was my first dual flight - ever)
I flew with him twice more (I was 18 and dumb).
After he scared the crap out of me with wingovers and incipient spins (hour 3) with no explanation why or what or how -- I stopped scheduling flights.
It was 20 years before I tried flying again.
It's helped form me as an instructor, though. I tell every student, "If you don't understand why we are doing something, ask -- but I should have told you beforehand anyway. If your scared or nervous -- tell me. If you don't tell me, I'll figure it out soon enough -- but, you won't learn if you're scared, and most people are afraid of what they don't know -- so if I can explain or demsontrate you will learn and be relieved."
I had one student deathly afraid of stalls. He wanted to see if "flying was for him."
But he wasnt't sure he wanted to do stalls.
I said, "Look, I know it's only your first hour, but let me demonstrate one simple stall so you don't have to worry about it."
I did, and with 30 minutes in his logbook he had 3 stalls logged -- and he did one.
"That's it?"
"Sorry, unless you want to spin, that's all I got..."
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gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
Keep in mind that the airplane was probably flying at a very high AoA at the time and the student pilot probably didn't have a lot of experience yet.
dmccormack
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Hmmm...
I don't see how a AoA would explain why a window opening would cause the airplane to change direction...
???
gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
I've never tried it but it seem likely that opening the C152 window at high AoA would generate significant lift from the window causing the plane to roll away from the window and yaw towards it slightly. Probably not a big effect but perhaps enough to upset the delicate balance of a student just learning to land.
SkyHog
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Everything Offends Me
I can yaw a cherokee by sticking my hand out the little window....
Clark1961
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Do you wear mittens? or have a tough time finding gloves large enough to fit?
dmccormack
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Certainly there can be a slight affect on the airplane, but you'd have to be feeling for it....
Cessna windows open up -- I still don't see how the window opening would cause the airplane to yaw dramatically -- or even noticeably at the slow airspeed on landing (that hand out the window will have a more noticeable effect at 110 than 55)
I suspect the window and the elbow he stuck out acted as a rudder, adding drag. We were in ground effect at the time, and I don't know if that was a factor. And yes, I had very little experience and was struggling with landings.
Quite some time later, Hubby and his CFI delighted each other by steering their 152 with their rudder-doors -- at altitude.
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Snaggletooth
Line Up and Wait
My CFI told me that some guy on a DVD landed a plane (Cessna i think) with only the doors and the elevator trim!! Any Idea where One could see that?
dmccormack
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Peggy,
My guess is that you noticed him opening the window, and naturaly looked that way -- even a furtive glance would be enough distraction, especially when you're just learning to land.
Where we look, the airplane tends to go.
Snaggletooth
Line Up and Wait
I have that same problem! I start turning to base without even knowing it. lol
scit106
Pre-Flight
A few uncomfortable incidents, nothing where I was really scared for my life though.
Twice coming closer to T-Storms than I would have liked. Once was on an IFR training flight with an instructor. I wasn't so sure about the flight but he seemed confident, so we went. Lesson learned, trust your instincts, not a low time CFII. Second time, also with an instructor, getting a night checkout to rent. Saw a light show. Far enough away that we didn't get tossed around though.
On my previous attempt to get the aforementioned night checkout, we hit a goose on takeoff. Pulled throttle and stopped on remaining runway.
Had an AI fail in IMC. Strangely not a vacuum failure, and the DG still worked - but I covered up both so as not to be distracted, assuming it was a vacuum failure. Thank you, partial panel training.
everything turned out fine and other than a little heightened tension, I was just peachy.
Twice coming closer to T-Storms than I would have liked. Once was on an IFR training flight with an instructor. I wasn't so sure about the flight but he seemed confident, so we went. Lesson learned, trust your instincts, not a low time CFII. Second time, also with an instructor, getting a night checkout to rent. Saw a light show. Far enough away that we didn't get tossed around though.
On my previous attempt to get the aforementioned night checkout, we hit a goose on takeoff. Pulled throttle and stopped on remaining runway.
Had an AI fail in IMC. Strangely not a vacuum failure, and the DG still worked - but I covered up both so as not to be distracted, assuming it was a vacuum failure. Thank you, partial panel training.
everything turned out fine and other than a little heightened tension, I was just peachy.
Clark1961
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The scariest thing I've been involved with so far was a downdraft on final.
I was doing a pre-checkride final, just planning on some touch-n-goes at BJC and then a little airwork. The winds were fairly steady out of the east around 10 with occasional gusts to 15 or 20. I did two t-n-gs on 11R and then was switched to 11L when I told tower that I would depart to the north after the next one.
It helps to understand BJC just a little bit. The main runways at BJC are aligned with a ridge and the ridge takes a bit of a jog just off the west end. The terrain drops a little bit off the approach end of 11R and a whole bunch off the approach end 11L. There's a golf course on that hillside.
So anyway, I turned final for 11L and the aircraft just started to drop. The bottom had literally fallen out. I nailed the throttle and pitched for 70 knots which should have given me at least 400 fpm climb. The VSI was steady on 700 fpm down. I just said to myself that I've done all I can and will just ride it. Later it occurred to me that maybe I should have turned to the north and lower terrain.
It all worked out and the aircraft eventually started climbing. I told the tower I wasn't landing and would just depart to the north. Get this, the controller asked if that was some sort of training manuver! I just passed along the info that I encountered a 700 fpm sink over the golf course. It wasn't quite a high squeaky voice but I was just a little bit excited.
When I came back about 45 minutes later the approach to 11L was smooth as glass. I think I just caught one of those gusts following the terrain when I had the high sink rate. Maybe not. One thing for sure is that BJC has some strange winds.
I was doing a pre-checkride final, just planning on some touch-n-goes at BJC and then a little airwork. The winds were fairly steady out of the east around 10 with occasional gusts to 15 or 20. I did two t-n-gs on 11R and then was switched to 11L when I told tower that I would depart to the north after the next one.
It helps to understand BJC just a little bit. The main runways at BJC are aligned with a ridge and the ridge takes a bit of a jog just off the west end. The terrain drops a little bit off the approach end of 11R and a whole bunch off the approach end 11L. There's a golf course on that hillside.
So anyway, I turned final for 11L and the aircraft just started to drop. The bottom had literally fallen out. I nailed the throttle and pitched for 70 knots which should have given me at least 400 fpm climb. The VSI was steady on 700 fpm down. I just said to myself that I've done all I can and will just ride it. Later it occurred to me that maybe I should have turned to the north and lower terrain.
It all worked out and the aircraft eventually started climbing. I told the tower I wasn't landing and would just depart to the north. Get this, the controller asked if that was some sort of training manuver! I just passed along the info that I encountered a 700 fpm sink over the golf course. It wasn't quite a high squeaky voice but I was just a little bit excited.
When I came back about 45 minutes later the approach to 11L was smooth as glass. I think I just caught one of those gusts following the terrain when I had the high sink rate. Maybe not. One thing for sure is that BJC has some strange winds.
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
I believe that there is one to rent at IWS, but it's expensive. The Sugar Land Flying Club used to have one to rent to its members at SGR, but unfortunately they had to shut down operations and sell off their aircraft for economic reasons.
Bonanzas are very expensive for a rental place to own, rent, and insure, so you're not likely to find a lot of them available.
Trapper John
Ejection Handle Pulled
That's in a Barry Schiff AOPA safety video. It used to be a giveaway, not sure if it's still in print. As I recall, there were several scenes, one, the situation you mentioned, another showing high density altitude takeoff effects, and a nice demonstration of a skidding turn to final (at altitude) and the inevitable stall/spin that results.
Trapper John
Snaggletooth
Line Up and Wait
Teller1900
En-Route
I haven't really had anything truly scary. A few pucker worthy moments, though.
Two low altitude go-arounds because the tower tried to shoot the gap, and the guy in front of us didn't get off the runway quick enough.
One of those go-arounds led to one of the three TCAS Resolution Advisories I've had when the other guy wasn't in sight. For those who aren't familiar, an RA leads to slamming the power either full forward or back to flight idle, followed by a 4-6,000 fpm climb or decent until you hear "Clear of Conflict." That's always an interesting sensation.
I two pretty interesting plane vs. plane experiences. The first, and probably worst, was punctuated by Phoenix Approach saying "3AT, Traffic Alert! Imediate right turn, expedite! Traffic your 12:00 less than a mile, same altitude, unverified, opposite direction." Notice the lack of asigned heading in that instruction. In a 50* bank to the right, we saw the Skyhawk pass below our wing, into the same bit of airspace we had just been in. The Phoenix Approach said something that will always stick with me. "3AT, you still with me?" The tone in his voice...he legitamately wasn't sure. We told him we were fine, and asked to resume our course. A new voice came back on, gave us direct our next fix and a phone number to call. When we got to Vegas we called the TRACON Sup. He appologized profusly, complimented us on our quick reaction (we said the same about his controller who pretty much just saved our lives) and explained that the student and CFI in the Skyhawk are in a bit of trouble for their Bravo bust that led to a loss of separation.
Then there's the smoke in the cockpit of the 172 (acompanied by so much oil on the windscreen, we were basically IMC), or the time the engine quit in the 421 and the only two ME pilots onboard *cough* Tony *cough* turned to eachother and said "What the hell was that?!?"
Or many, many instances of the New England winter testing our wits, deicing boots, and crosswind technique. Or the lightning strike. Or the extreme clear air turbulence that resulted in a huge uncontrolled, overspeed and subsequent spar inspection.
Nothing that bad; certainly nothing that caused me to lose conciousness or anything involving nuclear (or even conventional) warheads!
Two low altitude go-arounds because the tower tried to shoot the gap, and the guy in front of us didn't get off the runway quick enough.
One of those go-arounds led to one of the three TCAS Resolution Advisories I've had when the other guy wasn't in sight. For those who aren't familiar, an RA leads to slamming the power either full forward or back to flight idle, followed by a 4-6,000 fpm climb or decent until you hear "Clear of Conflict." That's always an interesting sensation.
I two pretty interesting plane vs. plane experiences. The first, and probably worst, was punctuated by Phoenix Approach saying "3AT, Traffic Alert! Imediate right turn, expedite! Traffic your 12:00 less than a mile, same altitude, unverified, opposite direction." Notice the lack of asigned heading in that instruction. In a 50* bank to the right, we saw the Skyhawk pass below our wing, into the same bit of airspace we had just been in. The Phoenix Approach said something that will always stick with me. "3AT, you still with me?" The tone in his voice...he legitamately wasn't sure. We told him we were fine, and asked to resume our course. A new voice came back on, gave us direct our next fix and a phone number to call. When we got to Vegas we called the TRACON Sup. He appologized profusly, complimented us on our quick reaction (we said the same about his controller who pretty much just saved our lives) and explained that the student and CFI in the Skyhawk are in a bit of trouble for their Bravo bust that led to a loss of separation.
Then there's the smoke in the cockpit of the 172 (acompanied by so much oil on the windscreen, we were basically IMC), or the time the engine quit in the 421 and the only two ME pilots onboard *cough* Tony *cough* turned to eachother and said "What the hell was that?!?"
Or many, many instances of the New England winter testing our wits, deicing boots, and crosswind technique. Or the lightning strike. Or the extreme clear air turbulence that resulted in a huge uncontrolled, overspeed and subsequent spar inspection.
Nothing that bad; certainly nothing that caused me to lose conciousness or anything involving nuclear (or even conventional) warheads!
t0r0nad0
Pattern Altitude
I'm surprised you didn't mention the incident I read about on your blog where the throttle was stuck wide open on the Seminole in FL.
Ted
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iFlyNothing
Egh, that's not too difficult to understand. You end up being used to things going well and are taught to evaluate the situation, so when something happens I think the "What the hell was that?!?" response is natural. Better than making a fast reaction that ends up turning a potentially bad situation into a potentially worse situation.
Teller1900
En-Route
Oh how did I miss that! Good call, PJ. True OEI landing on a 4000 ft runway with strong gusty crosswinds after having to shut down the engine because I had no throttle control. That was a long afternoon.
Dr. O
Pattern Altitude
Well, never had a scary moment, have had a few annoying ones... The most annoying was winter at night time over Lake Erie, wet clouds (as always), filed for 4000 with the freezing level at 6000, and of course the cutesy sounding ATC controller insists she needs me at 7000 for conflicting traffic on the airway (pre universal GPS days)... I protest that there be dragons in those clouds, but she insists... So I power up the Super Viking and we go to 7000... Within seconds the windscreen is going opaque - well we are IFR so that's no big deal... Roughly 90 seconds later I notice the nose is getting heavy and shine a light out on the wing - ugly ice on the leading edge already building into a shelf... I tell the nice lady at ATC I have real ice and need lower NOW... She says I am to remain at 7000... 4 microseconds later I make a command decision, inform her I am leaving the airway and descending and I wil call her when I have my problem solved, I make a 30 degree banked turn (all I dared with the ice load) and head out (starting to sink already) until I am 4 miles from the centerline of the airway (by the clock) and then start descending at 1500 fpm... 2 minutes later I am back at four and I can already see melting around the edges of the windscreen...
So I call the nice ATC lady with the announcement, " romeo romeo has solved his problems, now what can I do to help you?" A basso profundo voice greets me with, " romeo, romeo, cleveland center, how are you doing there partner?" I tell him we are thawing out and everything is hunky dory...
" great, can you navigate windsor vor direct from your present position?" I tell him, "sho nuff." He then lapses back into proper AIM terminology, clearing me to remain at 4000, direct windsor, then as filed, altimeter xxxx, yadda, yadda.... I always wondered how the conversation with her boss went for that lady controller...
denny-o
So I call the nice ATC lady with the announcement, " romeo romeo has solved his problems, now what can I do to help you?" A basso profundo voice greets me with, " romeo, romeo, cleveland center, how are you doing there partner?" I tell him we are thawing out and everything is hunky dory...
" great, can you navigate windsor vor direct from your present position?" I tell him, "sho nuff." He then lapses back into proper AIM terminology, clearing me to remain at 4000, direct windsor, then as filed, altimeter xxxx, yadda, yadda.... I always wondered how the conversation with her boss went for that lady controller...
denny-o
CJones
Final Approach
flyingcheesehead
Taxi to Parking
Hmmm.. Two stories that both include Tony... Coincidence or ..... ???
Airplanes seem to always become highly unreliable when there's a CFI aboard.