People like to ask, “What was your favorite flight?” There are so many, I wouldn’t know how to choose. But ask me to choose my least favorite flight, and I can tell you in a heartbeat. It started on a beautiful February day. My buddy Shaun decided to join me. We made a lot of good decisions during that flight, except one: taking off.
I Learned About Flying From That: My Longest Trip to Vegas
Key Takeaways:
- A pilot and co-pilot flying an experimental aircraft without de-icing equipment unexpectedly encountered severe icing conditions during a night IFR flight over mountainous desert terrain.
- Faced with rapidly accumulating ice and denied immediate descent, they critically decided to turn 180 degrees, eventually escaping the cloud and making a safe return landing after the ice melted.
- The pilot identified key errors, including neglecting to re-check weather for the return flight, delayed reaction to visible moisture in freezing conditions, and not declaring an emergency to ATC.
- The experience highlights the crucial need for constant weather awareness, immediate decisive action when conditions change, and the strategic importance of declaring an emergency in hazardous situations.
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