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Bypassing The Alternate

‘Taking a look’ at your destination’s weather conditions works best when you’re proficient and well-rested. 

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A pilot and passenger were fatally injured attempting an ILS approach in challenging night instrument meteorological conditions, failing to maintain the glidepath and course despite ATC warnings.
  • The accident was attributed to the pilot's deviation from the approach course and the decision to continue the unstable approach despite being warned, compounded by potential fatigue and lack of recent proficiency in actual instrument conditions.
  • The incident highlights the critical importance of thorough IFR flight planning, continuous weather monitoring, maintaining instrument proficiency, and the timely decision to divert to a safer alternate or execute a missed approach when conditions deteriorate or an approach becomes unstable.
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Long cross-country flights are my favorite. The cruise portion is relatively easy, with plenty of time to plan ahead, monitor weather, etc., as the world literally slides by underneath. Going places on my own schedule with friends and family is one of the main reasons I learned to fly in the first place.

But cross-countries do have their drawbacks. The need for more-detailed flight planning is obvious, along with the uncertainty of what one might find in the way of services and fuel availability on landing at an unfamiliar destination. It’s a lot different than bouncing around the traffic pattern or zooming off to a nearby familiar airport for a hundred-dollar hamburger. And then there’s weather.

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