Tell us about your worst flying experience.

[feralmerril]

Wow! I know a lot of that country as I lived, worked and flew around it. Some of that area is probley the most dangerous to fly over in the lower 48 as it is so high, weather, bad winds etc. Once I got into the same deal in the tetons. A wheel with the park service took three of us boys up in a old Comanche. We flew around the grand teton peak. That also is around 14,000 feet. I wasnt a pilot then (1961). We corkscrewed fast down to the teton airport. He descended far too fast but I hadnt studied that up to then. I started to get a earacke. I didnt want to say anything. My earache about liked to kill me it hurt so bad for days!

 

[feralmerril]

Years ago my daughter and I were flying back from Wisconsin. There were only us and another woman on the flight. I guess the airline decided to fly us from Oshkosh to Minneapolis by a small plane rather than use the regular airliner as it was far cheaper. The pilots looked like kids to me. We got into the second worst turbulence I ever experienced. One of the pilots yelled back to me that they closed Minneapolis and we were going to Eu Claire. We almost made Eu Clair and the pilot yelled back to me they opened Minneapolis. The woman was real scared. My daughter popped off to her daddys a pilot too. That made me the resident expert. The woman asked me "Are we going to make it?" I being a lot younger and a wise butt said, "Yeah, we will make it, I already been in one crash and we aint gonna get in another. I wished I hadnt said that. She instantly puked!

 

[BUFF]

Deplaning passenger to pilot: "So did you land this thing or were we shot down?"

 

[feralmerril]

On one trip I was flying my citaberia over the black hills headed home to wisconsin. I was young and dumb, had radio trouble, hadnt checked the weather before takeing off. I buzzed mount rushmore and snapped a couple pictures. Then I started hitting scattered clouds and climbed over them. I recall it was about as smooth air as I had ever experianced. I trimed up nice and got my nose in the map. Soon I looked down and I was socked in. I should have turned around but didnt. The radio was useless. I had drove that country below a number of times before both in vehicles and motorcycle and knew the terrain was flat as a skillet. I set up a 400 fpm decent and figured if I didnt break through at about 1,000 ft above terrain I would just add power, climb back on top and go back. At the last secound or so I did get a glimps of the ground. I continued down and it was a different world. Water lay everywhere from rains. I had bracketed my route with I think I-80 so just flew south and picked it up, down it to the next town and buzzed the water tower. "Murdo South Dakota". I found the air strip, it was under water and I sort of water planed it on landing. There wasnt a buiding on it, only a phone booth. Two planes were there, a 172 and a crop dusting "Piper Pawnee". While I was standing there in ankle deep water fishing for coins a old 4 wheel drive pickup come up spraying mud. Guy got out and asked me how I got down! He had seen me buzz the town and owned the crop duster. I confessed what I had done. He rebuked me and said what would ya have done if ya met someone? Then he told me of another pilot from my area in california that had landed the prior week going to oshkosh in a cub and they done a engine repair together on his cub. So happened I also knew the pilot. The guy took me home with him and got me set up in a motel. His name was similar to mine, "Merrill Rust". Thanks Merrill"! Anyway the pilot of the 172 was a young FBI agent headed west and also had to sit out the weather. I hooked up with the county sheriff "Mac" Mc something and rode around with him a few days. The FBI agent hooked up with the town police and spent his time with them. Mac had a old red comet with a spring sticking up through the seat, a single barrel shotgun and still wore a colt SAA nickle .45! I was there about 3 days before the weather lifted. Someplace I have a picture of Mac wearing that colt standing by my citaberia when he drove me to my plane to leave.
Not long after that I got home and landed on a soft grass strip at Berlin near my folks. I got hooked up with a nice girl that my mother introduced me to from church. The girl didnt want me to tell anyone especialy my mom that she had worked for the playboy club at lake geniva before getting saved, but thats another story. Hey this was about 37 years ago! Anyway I was flying a ton of family and old friends for a week or so. One day that girl and I flew to some resort in northern wisconsin. We had dinner at some supper club on the strip. It was getting late and she had found some people that wanted to keep talking and it got late on us. That sod strip had no lights and I was fearfull I couldnt see to land. It was right next to a large auto wrecking yard. Fortunately, some guy was working late on his airplane, went to the end of the strip and turned on his headlights. I had flow in and out of there quite a bit the proceeding days and watched the moonlight on the car roofs as I landed. When we got out my knees were knocking and she asked me what as wrong with me! (The citabria is a high wing taildragger tandom seats and its hard to see ahead on flair out.)
Then I took up a aunt on her first and last plane ride. Soon as I took off over berlin she hollered at me, "Not so high! Your going too fast!"
I hope to do it all again some day.

 

[feralmerril]

One more add on. I took cousin corkey up. He owned some scattered farms he wanted to see from the air. Then we went sight seeing. We both needed to take a whizz and I spotted a small airstrip in a christmas tree farm. I later found out it was a service road or trail cut through the trees. I thought gee, this guy must have a cub or similar, I can do it! As we was sinking on the strip a huge beautiful buck ran out ahead of me. The trees were maybe 4 feet off from each wing tip. I was comitted. The buck seen me coming and put her in passing gear trying to outrun me I was slowing he was gaining and yet I was getting closer and closer! Corkey was yelling yer going ta hit him! I actualy think I might have nipped his tail at one point. The buck was running so fast he started to run in the thick trees but thought better of it and kicked her up again as I was standing on the brakes slowing to a stop. Well we got turned around and when I started to take off I felt I had to shut her down and try again to make it out of there. It didnt stop corkey. He went and took flying lessons after that!

 

[tlay]

Well I guess mine is when I crashed a powered parachute with myself and my brother aboard. I have always flown and had over 1500 hours on ultralight airplanes and powered parachutes. On July 4th 1996 I took off at a private field with my brother as a passenger. I don't remember what happened because I busted my head up, but my soon to be wife, we were supposed to be married on 7/6/96, said that at takeoff the chute turned sharply and turned the aircraft. I believe it was a downdraft from the trees. The chute caught the top of a tree and deflated. This caused the engine to rev full blast and sent us nose first into the ground.
I don't remember anything for about 3 weeks that happened. I broke my back, tib,fib,femur,skull,shoulder,ankle,foot,and knee. My brother also broke his back. Unfortunately he never did walk again. It took about 14 months to learn to walk again.
I still love to fly and did fly a powered parachute 1 year from the day of the accident. I have also flown a glider, a Cessna, and a helicopter.

 

[feralmerril]

It`s the sudden stop that gets yuh!

 

[zzzippper]

Oh my, sooo many!

There was a 36 hour nonstop trip from Kuwait to St. Louis that began with a bomb scare and de-planing before we ever took off.

There was a five hour "flight" from Denver to Philly on Southwest in a middle seat mascarading as a coffin.

There was a nonstop flight from Tokyo to Denver where my wife forgot to upgrade our seats from coach to business.

I'm not sure which is my favorite.

 

[george minze]

This ‘adventure’ took place while doing some work at a tungsten mine in Bishop, CA back in the early 70’s. One of our contractors had recently received his pilots license and suggested we fly to Stockton for dinner after work. He had rented a small 4-seat airplane (cannot recall make or model) so with some trepidation, 3 of us agreed to join him.


The flight over the Sierra Nevada Mountains (directly over Yosemite National Park) was breathtaking. He let me take the controls for a while, which for a young dude, was thrilling.


We approached Stockton just as the sun was setting directly into our eyes which made it very difficult to see the landing zone. Suddenly a red light repeatedly flashed on the dashboard and a warning buzzer sounded – LANDING GEAR WARNING – luckily the wheels were deployed just in time to make a safe landing.


It was dark when we took off from Stockton. Flying over the mountains by moon light was not so enjoyable. We were dodging snowy peaks with only dim moon light to see our way. It was all the plane could do to maintain altitude over the 14,500 ft. mountain peaks.


Made it back safe. Dressed in light jackets/street clothes, I sometimes think back how very badly the return trip could have turned out.

That area has claimed many of experienced mountain flyers. 14600 is pushing the limit depending on what you were in..

 

[PatAz]

I haven't flown for 8 years now, but I had no bad experiences when we were.

 

[CW Spook]

2nd or 3rd flight after my first solo...about 1981 or 82'. I was taxiing the Luscombe 8F back and dropped a wheel into a badger hole and stood the plane on its nose. Bent the prop and cracked the motor mount.

 

[george minze]

You call that a wallet reduction crash......

 

[feralmerril]

I also had a minor ground loop in a luscombe. I had just a couple hours past solo`ing in it. I came in and as soon as the tail came down I started to swivel all over, drug a wing tip and broke a wheel off. When the club mechanics checked it they found that another member had just put on a new tail wheel before I flew it. He had hooked the steering chains too tight on one side and I was the first to fly it. As a new pilot I evidently had to use a lot of rudder on taxing out for takeoff and on takeoff and didnt recognize the difference. Someone seen me land and fight it. They told the club I had done a beautiful job recovering. Until that I was cussing myself and hating myself. Several old pilots in the club thanked me for a good job and I had thought they would vote me out! This was back in 1966. I believe it was a 8E model. A 1946 65 HP, no starter or radio. In those days about 30 Lockheed workers and pilots in the club. It was $800s to buy in, about $12 a month dues. We owned 3 planes, the luscombe, a 150 and a 170 cessnas. The price to fly a hour WET? Hold your breath! Luscombe was $2 a hour, the 150 was $5s and the 170 was $7.00s! Today you could probley muliply that by the factor of 15 to 20 times!! Oh! And my instructor charged me a wopping $5s a hour!
Oh, and you could easily sell your membership and get your $800s back!
Actualy it probley seemed almost as hard to get the money together to fly back then as it is today. Things, the rules etc was a lot simpler back then. I had a good job that paid about $2.45 a hour back then.

 

[BrianE]

I once got into an air-o-plane with a few dudes, checked it out and noticed a few nudey magazines spread out and a video camera... as I was thinking, "Oh no!......" as the door closed. Engine fired up and plane started moving, it was too late now. Circled a bunch of times as I tucked away in the corner. One of the men with a stern voice said "You're up young man!" I looked at him with a blank stare and one of the other men opened the door. The guy at the door said "Say goodbye to your friend" and as I looked over, I was shoved out the door! That was a bad plane ride, but the landing was soft.......

...and that was my first skydiving experience.

 

[mtgianni]

My wife an I visited my in-laws who were doing Church Service in Albania. Albania is tough to get to. I speak English, Spanish, some Italian and read some French but no Albanian. We were told to be on an Albania Air flight from Frankfort @ 8:30 for the 10:30 Am flight. We landed OK got some food and waited by the gate for AA. Not a soul around @ 8:30 no one til 9:20. Then the place fills up @ 9:55. They check our tickets and line us up and send us out a modern gate to what I am thinking will be a gateway to an airplane. It is a bus that takes us as far out on the tarmac as you can go and still be on the airport grounds. We board a 727, a six seater when i flew on one in 73 and it is reduced to 5. No seating assignments just sit where you want. We taxi up thing sound fine and pull to the fueling area. we then stop for 45 minutes, the stews start serving drinks. [The Brunette does the Blond sits around and givers her orders, life in the third world]. Then the pilot who had a screen similar to a shower curtain hiding the cockpit gets on the radio. He talks in Albanian for 4--5 minutes with a disgusted tone in his voice. Then says "Oh English, technical difficulties". I am not one to want a plane to fly if someone says it isn't ready. I might hedge some rules but not with lives at stake. The flight was bumpy but OK when we did leave 3 1/2 hours late. At Mother Teresa airport in Tirana Albania there is no communication with people waiting who wait outside the airport not inside. MIL got info from "we don't know' to "It has already landed".
I have been tossed around, puked on, and put on hold when an airport [Knoxville,TN] had no power so TSA could not check baggage or passengers but that was the one that had me wondering the most.

 

[walkin jack]

Oh my, sooo many!

There was a 36 hour nonstop trip from Kuwait to St. Louis that began with a bomb scare and de-planing before we ever took off.

There was a five hour "flight" from Denver to Philly on Southwest in a middle seat mascarading as a coffin.

There was a nonstop flight from Tokyo to Denver where my wife forgot to upgrade our seats from coach to business.

I'm not sure which is my favorite.

I think I wanna hear more about the coffin than!

 

[LVSteve]

My wife an I visited my in-laws who were doing Church Service in Albania. Albania is tough to get to. I speak English, Spanish, some Italian and read some French but no Albanian. We were told to be on an Albania Air flight from Frankfort @ 8:30 for the 10:30 Am flight. We landed OK got some food and waited by the gate for AA. Not a soul around @ 8:30 no one til 9:20. Then the place fills up @ 9:55. They check our tickets and line us up and send us out a modern gate to what I am thinking will be a gateway to an airplane. It is a bus that takes us as far out on the tarmac as you can go and still be on the airport grounds. We board a 727, a six seater when i flew on one in 73 and it is reduced to 5. No seating assignments just sit where you want. We taxi up thing sound fine and pull to the fueling area. we then stop for 45 minutes, the stews start serving drinks. [The Brunette does the Blond sits around and givers her orders, life in the third world]. Then the pilot who had a screen similar to a shower curtain hiding the cockpit gets on the radio. He talks in Albanian for 4--5 minutes with a disgusted tone in his voice. Then says "Oh English, technical difficulties". I am not one to want a plane to fly if someone says it isn't ready. I might hedge some rules but not with lives at stake. The flight was bumpy but OK when we did leave 3 1/2 hours late. At Mother Teresa airport in Tirana Albania there is no communication with people waiting who wait outside the airport not inside. MIL got info from "we don't know' to "It has already landed".
I have been tossed around, puked on, and put on hold when an airport [Knoxville,TN] had no power so TSA could not check baggage or passengers but that was the one that had me wondering the most.

Are you sure it was a Boeing and not a Tupolev? Tupolev Tu-154 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[policerevolvercollector]

In no particular order:

1) Delta lost my luggage during a lay over @ DFW including my checked S&W Model 13. Spent that night in Tulsa w/o even a change of clothes. Numerous calls to the airlines to no avail. Went back to the Tulsa airport the next day to come back to Atlanta. My bags were there by this time. But, I had to recheck the gun even though I'd never even touched it there.

2) Logan Airport in Boston. I was on a work related trip & was carrying on the plane with all of the proper documentation. During a 10 hour rain delay, some moron pulls a fire alarm to relieve the boredom. We have to pass through security a 2nd time to get to the gates after the alarm is cleared. Security is using a metal detector "wand" on everyone. When it's my turn, I present my papers. She reaches toward me with the wand. I tell her to read my paperwork. I'm trying not to cause a scene. She glances at the papers and starts to wand me again. "Get your supervisor!" "Why?" "Because when that wand gets to my right side,it is going to go off!" The scenario ensues when her similarly illiterate supervisor shows up. He finally,after trying to wand me himself, reads what the forms said and lets me pass.

More later...........

 

[feralmerril]

My uncle died and I flew home. I took some stuff of his back, one thing was a homemade fighting knife that had notchs in the handle that he took off a kraut. I wanted to take it back to california and just put it along with some other stuff in a metal box in my luggage. This was back in 1974. They called me over to open the box. Spotted the knife and called a guard. Then the guard wanted me to carry the knife through the crowed terminal to put it in my other luggage. I told him "you should carry the knife!" Nope, he wanted me to carry the knife in my hand. We were quite a spectacle.

 

[BearBio]

I have two, both south of the border. On-time requirements, restrictions, etc do not apply outside of the US and on regional airlines. Both were on La Taca (or "Tacky Airlines"), out of LAX.

First was our honeymoon, to Los Cabos. Trip down was OK==passed through Mexican Customs in Mazatlan. Only incident was a Lear Jet 50 yards off the runway, in the jungle with an armed (machine-gun) toting soldier standing on the roof. Time to return, we took a cab 2 hours to the "new airport" (not the older thatched roof waiting area). Waited 4 hours (in 100+ heat, complete with bats flying through the airport), boarded us, waited 2 more hours, until they told us that "The airport at Mazatlan is broke"=nothing more. De-boarded us after another hour for customs, then we departed (now about 8-10 hours late). All total, we arrived at LAX 12 hours late and my new BIL had departed.

Second time was 1996. I was asked to help TA (Teacher's Assistant) for one of my professors in exchange for 4 units of Tropical Ecology in Guatemala and Belize. I was to overseer several student research projects and teach a jungle Herpetology session.

We were to leave LAX on a Tuesday (I think). While in the waiting area, we head about the Pan Am flight blowing up. Then, we couldn't connect from Guatemala City to Belize due to a border war (a constant state of affairs) as well as a civil war in northern Guatemala. We missed our connection. We ended up taking puddle jumpers through every country in Central America, north of Panama. We missed our connection in El Salvador. We waited several hours until a helpful attendant got us on a local flight, stops in Honduras, Nicaragua, then to Belize. While in El Salvador, two students went outside to get some pictures and were promptly arrested on immigration charges and possible spies. I got them released using a combination of high school and fisherman Spanish. We got to Belize Airport 21 hours late, with no sleep.