Close Calls at Airports

[martyd]

I have had many 'close calls' of one nature of another from construction, autos, shooting, being an RN and airplanes.

Over the years I have tried being 'Nonchalant' and 'O Well' with humor about my events.

Anyway, this is my attempt at poking fun at one area of my 'close calls' -- Flying.

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Truth be said:
I will not fly unless I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.

Reason #1:
Managers said West Coast folks could leave Florida convention early and not work the last day, my scheduled flight was for the evening of the last day, I was able to get a flight out the morning of the last day. My original scheduled flight crashed in bad weather, no survivors.

Reason #2: I am a Private Pilot with single and multi engine as well as instrument ratings. I have had 3 inflight emergencies all following annuals on 3 different aircraft and 1 near miss in flight.

One was an inflight electrical fire with emergency landing at an airport, another was power loss and not able to maintain altitude due to loose spark plugs with a gliding landing at an airport, and finally one with the mechanic's failure to replace but charted he had replaced a known corroded fuel selector valve in a twin resulting in both engines failing and a gliding crash landing.

No injuries for me or my passengers in any of these.

I was about 20 feet from a mid air collision with a student glider pilot who forgot to use his radio and inform folks in the landing pattern he was inbound, he was 1000 ft or so above the pattern altitude and did a quick spiral down - no one in the pattern saw him until he and I almost hit each other. Gliders get priority over power aircraft when landing. He landed safely and I decide to go to another airport for dinner.

In my mind 4 times was pushing my luck, sold my planes and have not flown or been in a private airplane since.

All of the above is true.

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I have not flown on a commercial flight since 2017.

According to the FAA from January 9, 2023 through March 9, 2023 there has been 8 "Close Calls" at US Airports.

I now know why the Airlines have Close Calls

 

[s&wchad]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZyCGws2r08[/ame]

 

[Rustyt1953]

 

[Skeet 028]

I too do not intend to fly commercially again. I worked at an airport(crash/rescue...yep). I know how the airlines fix...or don't...their aircraft. Many years ago I had a Cessna 170..beautiful plane...sold it and delivered it to a fellow in Alaska from Maryland. Lots of fun on that trip. I was told that plane crashed 2 or 3 owners later. Owned a Tri-Pacer for a while. niceplane but underpowered in my opinion. Didn't matter..couple years after selling it another pilot taxied his 150 into it...total. 3rd plane was an early Ercoupe...fun as anything could be...when you could get it started. Had old style mags and you had to prop it to start it...no starter/electrical system. Changed the mags...fixed...sold it ,,,bought my last plane. It was a drug courier Cessna 310 twin abandoned on an airport. Got the darn thing for less than the price of one prop. Had an AE friend who helped get it airworthy enough to get a ferry permit and flew it to his place. Not with me in it though. With no logs or records it was a pain to get right. Flew it twice...got that odd feeling and decided to sell it. Made good money on it. It flew off on a ferry permit and never heard another word about it...thank goodness...Bermuda Triangle? After 3000 hours I decided to hang up the wings. As far as commercial...too many people on a metal tube packed like sardines. No thanks

 

[SMSgt]

My mom and kid sister were to fly on a flight from Lexington, KY, to Charlotte, NC. Missed the flight because kid sister's potato salad at the airport restaurant has glass in it, resulting in a trip to the ER. The flight crashed with no survivors. I don't fly because I always have a battle with TSA. The airlines can go broke for all I care.

 

[alwslate]

I am just a VFR private pilot. In my opinion the most dangerous flight you will ever take is the first one after a so-called mechanic has done an annual inspection on your plane.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I've never flown in my life. Thanks to this I probably never will now. Thank you.

 

[martyd]

I am just a VFR private pilot. In my opinion the most dangerous flight you will ever take is the first one after a so-called mechanic has done an annual inspection on your plane.

alwslate: You are absolutely correct!

3 times I had problems following an annual inspection.
I wish the mechanics had to put an hour on the plane following their inspection!

Historically, other than post annual inspection the most dangerous time flying is 20 min after takeoff and 20 min before landing.

 

[Rudi]

Check out Mentour Pilot videos, they'll keep you grounded.

 

[whitestang]

I have flown only once and that was 15 years ago to Vegas and back. I do not plan on flying again,you miss too many sights and you can't stop when you want.

 

[johngross]

Wow! Not much else is worse than a drunk and blind pilot!!

I now know why the Airlines have Close Calls

 

[ACORN]

A customer of mine is a private pilot. He had some work done to his plane. Took it up and the engine quit. He had a choice to either put it down in the river or a field. He chose the field but cracked it up pretty bad. He was banged up but survived.
The cause was attributed to a fuel line fitting not being tightened.

 

[vt_shooter]

I used to fly, not a ton of hours, about 350. I had one close call, a near hit with a C150 that climbing out and not looking, I could not see him because he came up from straight ahead of me and below the cowling of my airplane. Missed by about 30 feet. But I think I've had more total close calls driving, but at a much lower rate of close calls per hour of driving vs flying.

 

[NYlakesider]

I went to school with this one fellow that could screw up putting a state registration sticker on a cars windshield.

Ran into him about 10 years later and asked him what was he doing. Fixing large jet aircraft, had to think twice about using that airline after that revelation.

 

[Sistema1927]

I am just a VFR private pilot. In my opinion the most dangerous flight you will ever take is the first one after a so-called mechanic has done an annual inspection on your plane.

That is why I always did "owner assisted" annuals on my 172B. I would take 3 days off from work, and did all the grunt work with the A&P/IA doing the inspection, even as I was looking over his shoulder, learning all that I could.

There were three benefits with this:

1) I saved a ton of money, allowing me to fly more.
2) I got to know my aircraft inside and out, making me a better informed pilot.
3) I developed a good relationship with my A&P.

I was never leery of that first flight following the annual.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I am just a VFR private pilot. In my opinion the most dangerous flight you will ever take is the first one after a so-called mechanic has done an annual inspection on your plane.

The biggest chance of an engine failure in General Aviation occurs in the first 100 hours after an engine overhaul. You'd think it should be the last 100 hrs. before it needs the overhaul.

 

[dave1918a2]

Did You ever stop to think You just might be cursed. I don't fly anywhere.

 

[arjay]

I am just a VFR private pilot. In my opinion the most dangerous flight you will ever take is the first one after a so-called mechanic has done an annual inspection on your plane.

A friend and his son fought a jammed elevator for 30 minutes (stuck,unstuck,stuck)before they could finally land it only to find a screw driver rolling around. So long ago I don’t remember the details
They each had a dead stick with their biplane due to a jammed fuel selector they were sure was fixed.Once on a mountaininterstate by the son and once on a rural road by pop.Those guys were always encouraging me to take it up…nope lol

 

[llowry61]

I have my private license with an IFR rating. I have not flown in many years, but I have scared myself on many an occasion.

A low hour IFR pilot is just as bad as the first 100 hours after a rebuild. We know just enough to get into real trouble.

I flew a Tomahawk as a trainer then Cherokee 180 for my instrument rating.

After getting caught in some pretty intense IFR conditions while flying VFR and trying to file enroute I reevaluated my commitment to aviation.

I decided I would be an old bold non flyer.

 

[alwslate]

I confess to never wanting an IFR rating. One of my best friends at work and his wife were killed flying at night in foggy weather shortly after he got an IFR rating. If the weather's not fit for VFR flight I'm staying on the ground.