An anonymous forum to allow you to share those moments in flying that caused you concern. You can post without registering a username, registered users can log out to post
By Anon
Anonymous poster
#1538844
In the last 25 years I have, fortunately with no adverse consequences

Tried to start a carburetted engine with the mixture at ICO

Tried to start an engine with the fuel turned off

Started an engine with the parking brake off (no foot brake)

Thought I had a failed radio (after start up) because
1) Headset not plugged in
2) Headset plugged into P2 socked
3) Wrong frequency set
4) Wrong radio set selected on the audio panel

Had an engine stop on taxi because fuel selector set to off
Taxied to the wrong runway holding point. (I hate 13/31 20/02 combinations.)

Left electric fuel pump on for the engine run/up
Taken off with door unlatched

Forgotten to turn electric fuel pump off at top of climb/1000ft

Pulled the mixture instead of the carb heat

Asked for a frequency change then not selected the new frequency before calling.

Joined for the reciprocal runway (I still hate 13/31 20/02 combinations)

These are all despite being a confirmed checklist user.

Anyone else prepared to share their stupidities.

Anon in case any of my shareoplane group members, or my insurance company reading this.
mick w, davenuk liked this
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By carlmeek
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1538860
I reckon I've done all of those :)

I've also flown for miles and miles with the takeoff flaps down (a long time ago now)

I took off from a private site without my headset on and wondered why it was so noisy.

I flew all the way down final at Odiham overwhelmed by the chinooks only putting it down when the controller said "check tear down!" Somehow my ears were ignoring the voice saying "gear down"
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By rf3flyer
#1538873
Well I cannot replicate many of yours due to no mixture, carb heat or electrics in my little machine, but I have done the wrong reciprocal runway thing, 31 instead of 13.
I have also:
  1. Called, and insisted I was on left downwind when on right downwind.
  2. Followed the wrong road up the wrong valley.
  3. Flown into IMC accidentally whilst scud running.
  4. Forgotten to close a flight plan upon landing in France.
  5. Taken off with the pitot cover in place.
  6. Pushed my luck landing in poor weather (separate from 3 above - got away with it but learned a salutary lesson.)
  7. Landed gear up.
There are probably many more but these are the standouts.
mick w liked this
By Maxthelion
#1580901
Good thread idea.
Nothing really dumb springs to mind when it comes to systems management, but I have made some very poor weather decisions in the past. I used to tell myself that I could always fly into the ground at minimum speed and get away with it because the stall speed of what I was flying was about 40mph. I now fly something that stalls at nearly 70mph and I'm pretty certain and kind of CFIT would be guaranteed fatal. It also has a decent AI that can be relied upon, and although I've visited clouds to gain some proficiency in my current steed, 'just in case', I wouldn't elect to take off or press on into bad weather that was likely to result in those skills being needed to keep me alive. Like rf3flyer, I really learned my lesson on bad weather decisions and (hopefully) won't be making them again.