Scariest time as a pilot

This forum has been developed to discuss aviation related topics.

Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore, I WAS Birddog

rk1996
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Feb 24, 2018 2:09 am

Scariest time as a pilot

Post by rk1996 »

Hello guys/gals,

Lately, I was thinking about something interesting to ask and to learn from. I was wondering if some of you would share what was the scariest thing that have ever happened to you in your pilot career.

It does not matter wether you have been just a student pilot or already a senior captain, just the worst time. And by scariest, I mean you really did not know if you would make it at the end, and already preparing your prayers.

Of course, that could have been due to whatever reasons, depending on what you have experienced (I.e : bad decision making that led to a critical situation, unexepected failure of the a/c, suspicious passenger, weather, etc...). Moreover, can you tell how were you able to manage this particular situation?

Thanks! :rolleyes:
---------- ADS -----------
 
jakeandelwood
Rank 6
Rank 6
Posts: 453
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2018 11:45 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by jakeandelwood »

Scariest for me was my 1st day on the job as a FO on a cargo Navajo and having the 22 year old Captain pull this Top Gun, high G 90 degree bank 50 feet off the ground right after takeoff. As the stall warning was going off I surly thought the 20 thousand hour wing spar was going to snap. How did I deal with it? I kept my mouth shut and quietly waited for my turn to go Captain so I could fly nice and level.
---------- ADS -----------
 
iflyforpie
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 8132
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:25 pm
Location: Winterfell...

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by iflyforpie »

Losing my only engine at about 500 feet.

Did the impossible turn, lived to tell about it, so did the plane. Learned what I and the aircraft was capable of when lightly loaded (I’d had some formal training on it before), and learned to set solid limits for doing such a maneuver.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
lownslow
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1709
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:56 am

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by lownslow »

This one time I received a registered letter from TC.
---------- ADS -----------
 
corethatthermal
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:27 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by corethatthermal »

A student pilot is taught to land straight ahead after engine failure because the school doesn't teach them how to get back to the airport with various weight, height and environmental considerations. PRACTICE folks!
---------- ADS -----------
 
oneplus
Rank 0
Rank 0
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed May 15, 2019 9:08 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by oneplus »

iflyforpie wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 7:07 am Losing my only engine at about 500 feet.

Did the impossible turn, lived to tell about it, so did the plane. Learned what I and the aircraft was capable of when lightly loaded (I’d had some formal training on it before), and learned to set solid limits for doing such a maneuver.
what plane?
---------- ADS -----------
 
Heliian
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1976
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:14 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by Heliian »

Reading these forums.

Seriously though,

I had a captain try and kill us once because his temper and ego got away on him. Should have just gone around and set up properly but didn't want to look foolish in front of the clients. Never flew with him again.
---------- ADS -----------
 
doiwannabeapilot
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 165
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 5:46 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by doiwannabeapilot »

My automation tries to kill me at least 6 times every flight !
Sometimes i even have to use speedbrakes! Crazy arrival profiles!
I'm drenched in sweat at the end of every flight because my life was on the line.
---------- ADS -----------
 
P180
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 138
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 8:29 am
Location: north of 60

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by P180 »

With 19000 hours the day I took my wife for a ride...
---------- ADS -----------
 
Schooner69A
Rank 7
Rank 7
Posts: 639
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: The Okanagan

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by Schooner69A »

iflyforpie:

What you executed was "The Possible Turn".

When discussing engine failure after take-off,for each pilot/aircraft/temperature/wind/etc, there is an altitude above which a return to the departure runway is possible and below which it is not. Unfortunately, this altitude is a moving target dependant upon the factors mentioned.

Glider pilots-in-training routinely experience 'rope breaks' at 200 feet. Because, at that altitude, a return to the departure runway is possible. It is doubtful that anyone would advocate practicing same at 50 feet.

It appears that the FAA is getting behind the idea of teaching how to safely execute a return-to-runway following an engine failure when the issued Advisory Circular 61-83J, which states: “Flight instructors should demonstrate and teach trainees when and how to make a safe 180° turn back to the field following an engine failure.”

They are not pushing for "The Impossible Turn", but "The Possible Turn".

Of interest, what type aircraft and how high above ground were you when aligned with the departure runway...?
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
TheRealMcCoy
Rank 3
Rank 3
Posts: 130
Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:58 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by TheRealMcCoy »

This one time, in a Beaver...
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
rookiepilot
Rank 11
Rank 11
Posts: 4403
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by rookiepilot »

Paralleling a long, active weather front and cut the corner crossing the end of it, to get on course for destination. Should have waited for 15 more miles, clipped a couple of TCU's in IMC too strong for a light airplane, stronger than what showed on nexrad. That delay.....

Was a ride for a few moments, no lightning but power washed the plane. Slowed to maneuvering speed, confessed to ATC, flew out of it in a few miles. Lesson learned.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Last edited by rookiepilot on Tue Jun 11, 2019 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
oldtimer
Rank 10
Rank 10
Posts: 2296
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2004 7:04 pm
Location: Calgary

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by oldtimer »

Early one evening when her hubby returned home earlier than expected.
---------- ADS -----------
 
The average pilot, despite the somewhat swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring.
These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
C.W.E.
Rank (9)
Rank (9)
Posts: 1262
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2017 2:22 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by C.W.E. »

Would bring home a communicable disease to the wife count?
---------- ADS -----------
 
corethatthermal
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 391
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:27 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by corethatthermal »

Is it appropriate to ask "I fly" at what altitude and A/C he had for a 180+ rtn to landing ? Would it now be the new syllablis IAW that pilot! for avcanadas sake? FIND out your own ability with your A/C that is what training is for Dummies ! BTW, a 240 degree return to runway may involve MORE than you were taught in a blind valley turn around ! It can be a stinkingly drastic maneuver ! How do I know?
---------- ADS -----------
 
Schooner69A
Rank 7
Rank 7
Posts: 639
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:17 pm
Location: The Okanagan

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by Schooner69A »

ctt: "Is it appropriate to ask "I fly" at what altitude and A/C he had for a 180+ rtn to landing ?"

Absolutely.
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
Shady McSly
Rank 5
Rank 5
Posts: 338
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2005 9:28 am

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by Shady McSly »

This one time at band camp...
---------- ADS -----------
 
iflyforpie
Top Poster
Top Poster
Posts: 8132
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:25 pm
Location: Winterfell...

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by iflyforpie »

Schooner69A wrote: Mon Jun 10, 2019 2:24 pm iflyforpie:

What you executed was "The Possible Turn".

When discussing engine failure after take-off,for each pilot/aircraft/temperature/wind/etc, there is an altitude above which a return to the departure runway is possible and below which it is not. Unfortunately, this altitude is a moving target dependant upon the factors mentioned.

Glider pilots-in-training routinely experience 'rope breaks' at 200 feet. Because, at that altitude, a return to the departure runway is possible. It is doubtful that anyone would advocate practicing same at 50 feet.

It appears that the FAA is getting behind the idea of teaching how to safely execute a return-to-runway following an engine failure when the issued Advisory Circular 61-83J, which states: “Flight instructors should demonstrate and teach trainees when and how to make a safe 180° turn back to the field following an engine failure.”

They are not pushing for "The Impossible Turn", but "The Possible Turn".

Of interest, what type aircraft and how high above ground were you when aligned with the departure runway...?

It was a 206 and I was in ground effect as I rolled wings level.

There is not an altitude where it is possible to do the impossible turn. It is an altitude and a distance ie: departure angle. You need a bare minimum altitude to do the turn (which isn’t 360 total... the tighter you can make the first turn, the less you have to turn final) but if you’re fully loaded with high DA off a short runway with no wind... so that you’re a mile away at 200 feet, there is no way you are ever going to make it back because your aircraft is incapable of the required glide ratio. In fact... there is no safe altitude unless you’ve already turned because you are eating up distance away from the airport as you climb.

I was fortunate as I had a lightly loaded aircraft, a bit of a headwind, and was expecting an engine failure as it was a test flight. I sacrificed altitude for airspeed on the first turn making it as tight as possible (pulling to the stall horn but no more) and only had about 45 degrees to line up with the runway.
---------- ADS -----------
 
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
User avatar
rookiepilot
Rank 11
Rank 11
Posts: 4403
Joined: Sat Apr 01, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by rookiepilot »

Could be worse aircraft than a light 206 for that to happen.....
---------- ADS -----------
 
User avatar
KenoraPilot
Rank 8
Rank 8
Posts: 902
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:34 pm
Location: 'berta

Re: Scariest time as a pilot

Post by KenoraPilot »

First day flying a CRJ in the DRC (last plane flew was the DHC6)
DRC Thunderstorms the size of holland and picking your way through a T-storm line into an airport that reports "no rain or weather on the field" but the rest of the world is lighting and death lol
---------- ADS -----------
 
Post Reply

Return to “General Comments”