Veteran Pilot Warns About Recognizing the Hidden Danger

86-year-old recounts near-disastrous experience with weight and balance.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

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The author says that had he entered a stall spin, the water would have been gone during a postcrash inspection. [Image: Joel Kimmel]

Key Takeaways:

The author narrowly avoided a crash in a Cessna 205 due to an unforeseen aft center of gravity caused by water accumulating in a tail cone with a plugged drain, highlighting the critical need for meticulous pre-flight inspections beyond standard weight and balance calculations.
The article shares various lessons learned from personal and flying club experiences, including the dangers of inaccurate performance data, challenging environmental conditions (e.g., mesa downdrafts, flying into rising terrain or clouds without instruments), and the importance of instrument training for countering disorientation.
A central theme emphasizes continuous learning, exercising caution, respecting flying conditions, and not solely relying on manufacturer manuals for safe and responsible aviation practices.

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I obtained my private pilot certificate in 1970 in a Cessna 150. We all remember our first solo. During mine, a United Airlines flight came in and I needed to extend downwind. A little frightening.

My wife followed with her own solo a few years later, for safety for our little family of two children. Rules were different back then, and our first family flight was in that Cessna 150, with no seat belts for our 4-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter.