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:
- During a night IFR flight, a pilot and co-pilot in an experimental aircraft without de-icing unexpectedly encountered severe icing conditions over mountainous desert terrain, leading to rapid ice accumulation and a terrifying experience.
- Faced with accumulating ice and denied lower altitudes due to minimum en route altitude, they made a critical 180-degree turn, eventually escaping the icing and landing safely after the ice melted.
- The pilot identified key mistakes, including failing to re-check weather for the return trip, delaying immediate action upon entering icing, not utilizing cockpit weather information, and not declaring an emergency, offering crucial lessons in aviation decision-making.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
