Changing Destinations in Mid-Flight

Tom Benenson

Friday, April 30, 2004 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots frequently make dangerous decisions by "pressing on" with flights despite adverse conditions, often due to psychological factors like "get-there-itis," reluctance to alter plans, or overconfidence from past successful encounters with risk.
The critical error often lies not in the initial decision to start a flight, but in continuing when deteriorating conditions or evidence confirm that pressing on is no longer prudent.
Diverting to an alternate airport or canceling a flight due to safety concerns should be seen as a wise and victorious decision, reflecting sound judgment rather than a failure of piloting skill.
A continuous assessment of flight conditions (fuel, weather, fatigue) and always having an alternate plan are crucial for making safe decisions and prioritizing well-being over schedule or perceived valor.

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Robert Goyer was on a flight back from Syracuse when the controller called him. “Let me tell you about your situation,” the controller offered. But Robert already had a pretty good idea. He’d been “looking ahead” and knew there were weather doings on his trip back to White Plains’ Westchester County Airport. He’d been in touch with Flight Watch (122.0) and been advised that things were closing down. The controller told him that everything south of Albany was well below minimums and if he needed to get to VFR conditions, he’d have to go as far west as Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Robert elected to cut short his trip. He flew the ILS approach at Albany, left the airplane there, rented a car and drove home. I was impressed that his discretion outweighed any concern about valor or misguided machismo.