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, often stemming from mobile devices, the urge to capture/share experiences, or the compulsion to handle dropped items, is a leading cause of critical errors and aviation accidents.
Pilots must practice strict self-discipline by using devices "with a purpose," dedicating the hour before flight solely to essential tasks ("Sacred 60"), and deferring non-critical activities during flight.
Maintaining an organized cockpit and expanding the "sterile cockpit" concept to always prioritize "flying the airplane" over any potential visual or internal distraction is paramount for 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.”