Distracted Flight Checks

As election day loomed, I realized I hadnt secured an absentee ballot. What to do? Fly home and vote, of course-any excuse for a cross-country. So I reserved the Skyhawk for the full day and invited a friend to join me. This was one of my first cross-country flights in a while. And it was the friends first-ever flight in a personal airplane, so he peppered me with questions as I pre-flighted the rental and got my act together.

Editorial Staff

Monday, July 18, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A pilot, distracted by a passenger, forgot to close the engine oil access door during pre-flight, only noticing the critical error while taxiing for takeoff.
During the flight, the pilot experienced persistent navigation issues, perceiving a VOR radial as incorrect, a mystery that remained unresolved.
The incident underscored the vital importance of minimizing distractions during pre-flight checks to prevent serious safety oversights like an open oil access door or forgotten chocks.

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It was early November, and a presidential election year in the U.S. I had earned my private certificate before going off to college and had flown a bit with the local airport’s FBO, at least enough to check out in a newer Cessna 172 and stay legally current, if not proficient.

As election day loomed, I realized I hadn’t secured an absentee ballot. What to do? Fly home and vote, of course—any excuse for a cross-country. So I reserved the Skyhawk for the full day and invited a friend to join me. This was one of my first cross-country flights in a while. And it was the friend’s first-ever flight in a personal airplane, so he peppered me with questions as I pre-flighted the rental and got my act together.