Past ASRS research has documented that the "hurry-up syndrome" ? any situation in which pilot performance is degraded by a perceived or actual need to rush the completion of cockpit tasks ? often results in downstream safety incidents. In practical terms, this means that omissions or oversights made during pre-flight and taxi-out often manifest themselves … Continue reading The Hurry-Up Syndrome Revisited
Category: Safety Articles
Improper Engine Starts
Many small airplanes have impulse magnetos installed which use sensitive spring-loaded coupling to produce a series of sudden rotations and hot sparks during starting. If the magnetos are on, even the slightest manual turn of a prop may be enough to snap the magneto and start the engine, as this unlucky pilot discovered: The airplane … Continue reading Improper Engine Starts
Gear-Up ‘Gotchas
A number of gear-up landings reported to ASRS by pilots of experimental aircraft involve a mechanical or electrical problem, coupled with the pilot?s failure to use a before-landing checklist: Landed with nosewheel retracted. Minor damage to aircraft. Nosewheel up/warning for throttle to idle was disabled due to electrical wiring problems. New aircraft (15 hours since … Continue reading Gear-Up ‘Gotchas
Nesting Urges
It's that spring-wonderful season of the year when pilots brush the cobwebs off their flying skills and airplanes and vault joyfully into the blue. Only (in a few unfortunate instances reported to ASRS) to suffer engine fires, or fuel starvation, because the nesting habits of small creatures went undetected during pre-flight. A Cessna pilot titled … Continue reading Nesting Urges
Oxygen Irregularities
Both pilots and controllers are educated to recognize the effects of oxygen deprivation and hypoxia. This training can be vital in safely resolving oxygen-related pilot incapacitation. Several ASRS reports illustrate: While at FL250 on an IFR flight plan, my oxygen line became disconnected from the regulator. I could hear the oxygen escaping and thought the … Continue reading Oxygen Irregularities
Where NOT To Do a Run-Up
A general aviation pilot recently supplied ASRS with a compelling tale of "wrong way" ground navigation: I had flown into [airport] for the first time two days prior [to incident]... The Ground controller gave me excellent progressive taxi instructions to the general aviation tiedown area. [On day of incident] I was cleared to taxi to … Continue reading Where NOT To Do a Run-Up
See and Avoid: Applies to Runway Ops, too
The following report, submitted to ASRS by a B-727 Captain discusses an incident in which established procedures still were not enough to avert a near-collision on the runway. Due to a mechanical problem, our flight [air carrier X] departed after the Tower closed for the night. We complied with our company?s "non-Tower" procedures found on … Continue reading See and Avoid: Applies to Runway Ops, too
Runway Incursion: Pedestrian Version
The FAA and many pilot organizations have given much attention in recent months to prevention of runway incursions involving aircraft. However, these events may also involve pedestrians, as a general aviation pilot discovered after parking his aircraft at a new FBO. I had flown into [airport] with a CFII for my instrument cross-country requirement, and … Continue reading Runway Incursion: Pedestrian Version
Flying Duo In The Clouds
Couples who share flying experiences face special challenges in learning to work and communicate as a team. This is especially true of IFR flight into weather conditions. Several reports from ASRS files describe the various things that can go wrong ? and right, too ? when a flying duo is "in the clouds." Gee Whiz … Continue reading Flying Duo In The Clouds