Operating in 3 dimensions with incredibly complex machines requires significant skill and knowledge. This skill and knowledge is:
- Obtained through training in both flight and theory.
- Maintained by remaining current.
- Confirmed by flight tests and flight reviews.
- Learning from experience.
Learning from experience is an important aspect, not only your own experience but also that of others. I remember someone telling me (probably a cliché), that a wise person learns from their own mistakes, and a wiser person learns from other people’s mistakes. Learning in aviation also involves a safety mindset, a commitment to developing your own safety standards as well as promoting safety to others. I recently had a member with reasonably low experience visit my office to discuss an incident that they recently had, the aim, was to discuss if their actions were appropriate to a situation that developed- impressive stuff seeking guidance in order to self-improve. After discussing the incident, I asked the members if they would mind sharing, the result follows, that I have removed some info to protect privacy.
As part of our training, we’ve all learnt the Take-off Safety Brief, and the importance of saying it before each and every take-off:
“If I have an engine failure before take-off I will close the throttle and apply sensible braking. If I have an engine failure after take-off I will immediately lower the nose for 70 knots and land straight ahead plus or minus 30 degrees, selecting flap as necessary”. *
As a low-hour newbie pilot, I had an interesting incident recently at the aerodrome. After my take-off safety brief at the holding point, I taxied out to the end of runway __, lined up, made my radio call, kept ailerons into the crosswind, applied power, noted good power, kept to centreline, noted good T+Ps, speed building, reached 55 knots, rotated, had a nice gentle take-off…. but then saw the upper cowling inspection hatch door was flapping up and down! We were only 50’ off the runway, with approx. 2500’ of runway ahead of us, so I made the call to abort the landing; pulled the throttle to idle, lowered the nose, lowered the flaps, and landed gently back down, stopping about 1400’ short of the far threshold. Back-tracked (with the appropriate radio call, of course), shut down, hopped out and firmly closed the hatch door, and back to the start again, for an uneventful take-off and flight home.
The above happened very quickly, and I believe the take-off safety brief was a key part of being instantly ready to abort the landing if need be… if I’d sat there thinking about it for a few seconds, I’d have been higher and farther down the runway by the time I decided to land, and it’d be too late to safely land. That’s the good bit; the less good bit is whether such a minor fault warranted the course of action that I took, or should have climbed out, completed a circuit, and landed, leaving the hatch door to flap around (or tear off?) in the meantime. Also, why wasn’t it perfectly closed in the first place?
All up, I think this was a minor experience, but one worth sharing nonetheless, and highlights the importance of double-checking that the inspection hatch door(s) are indeed firmly closed at the end of the pre-start inspection, and also highlights the importance of the takeoff safety brief in refreshing the pilot’s mind that he or she can make the call to abort the landing if they so judge; but any such call needs to be made quickly, with no time to dimly recall some training notes! All up, this cost us a few litres of fuel, fifteen minutes or so added delay, and a few added grey hairs, but resulted in a safe outcome and a morsel of knowledge and experience. Thanks to the club and my instructor for the great training!
*(70 knots for a 172…. Modify to suit the plane, of course)
Reviewing/assessing an incident from the ground is a much different scenario than it happening to you in the air. As I write this my concern is my coffee getting cold, not the safety of myself, the aircraft and my passengers. In the air, decisions have to be made quickly and often those decisions may be difficult or impossible to reverse.
I have found the aviation adage Aviate-Navigate-Communicate important in analysing incidents
First up, well done for knowing the runway length and knowing your aircraft performance, this gave sufficient information to assist the decision-making process.
Secondly- well done for conducting a safety brief- even though this was far from an engine failure, the safety brief puts people in the mindset- expect the unexpected.
Back to Aviate-Navigate-Communicate
The pilot lowered the nose after closing the throttle- guaranteeing control of the aeroplane they aviated. This decision was to a great extent determined by their knowledge of the airfield and the aircraft performance that led to the decision to conduct an immediate landing, this in itself is the navigation part of our adage. Just a quick word here, if operating on a shorter runway, the decision would/should be different. A flapping inspection hatch will have minimal impact on the aerodynamics, it may damage the cowl or may depart the aircraft however the aeroplane will not be affected. Climbing away and returning for landing would be more appropriate, better off a bit of panel damage than running off the end of the runway, our pilot had done their homework, little chance of this occurring however, if any doubt existed climbing away should be the preferred option.
Communicate- all complied with, making the appropriate broadcast to advise others of intention- good stuff.
Just before signing off, sometimes the rushed decision is not the best decision and may not be required. Please, always remember to Aviate, assess what performance and control the aircraft is giving you, if it is flyable and is remaining flyable, use this to assist you with determining what options are available. The first, rushed decision, may not be the best, use time available to help determine the best outcome for the situation.
Until next week. Smooth landings,
John Snare
Safety Manager
