Distractions Rabbit Hole

Shortly after buying my Cessna 180, I decided an upgrade to slightly larger tires would help the plane better handle Idahos backcountry strips. That turned out to be a great decision, but not for the obvious benefit of landing with larger tires on rough runways. When the mechanic popped the hubcaps to expose the retaining nut holding the wheel to the axle, he discovered it was about ready to fall off. The nut did not…

Mike Hart

Wednesday, August 09, 2017 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Distraction, especially from electronic devices, poses a significant safety risk in aviation, impacting both maintenance procedures and pilot performance during flight.
Pilots must cultivate strong self-discipline to counter distractions, including using devices purposefully, adhering to a "Sacred 60" pre-flight focus, expanding the "Sterile Cockpit" concept to critical flight phases, and resisting impulses like retrieving dropped items or indulging curiosities.
Maintaining an organized cockpit and consistently prioritizing the fundamental task of "flying the airplane" are crucial for mitigating distraction-related errors and enhancing overall flight safety.

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Shortly after buying my Cessna 180, I decided an upgrade to slightly larger tires would help the plane better handle Idaho’s backcountry strips. That turned out to be a great decision, but not for the obvious benefit of landing with larger tires on rough runways. When the mechanic popped the hubcaps to expose the retaining nut holding the wheel to the axle, he discovered it was about ready to fall off. The nut did not have the required cotter pin to secure it. Only one turn of the nut with just normal finger pressure was needed to remove the wheel. Yikes!

“You were a landing or two away from that main wheel coming off,” my mechanic told me. “I bet I know what caused it.”