IMC Emergencies

We were in IMC at 4000 feet, on a vector for the VOR-A approach at the Wichita, Kan., Colonel James Jabara Airport. The airplane was an A36 Bonanza and I was in the instructors seat on the last approach of a day-long training session. This was in the era before GPS, long before iPads and moving-map handhelds, and the owner of this then-well-equipped 36 had ignored the short-lived Loran phase. So we were eastbound on a long downwind, and crabbing into a northerly wind before intercepting the westbound final approach course before circling to Jabaras north/south runway.

Tom Turner

Monday, August 20, 2018 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

In emergencies, especially in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), prioritize "aviate, navigate, then communicate" in that specific order to maintain aircraft control, plan an acceptable mitigation, and effectively relay information.
The pilot remains the ultimate authority (pilot-in-command), utilizing Air Traffic Control (ATC) as a valuable resource for information and assistance, but always making final decisions independently.
Thorough preparedness is essential, including memorizing critical emergency procedures, knowing how to use abnormal procedure checklists, and ensuring all backup equipment is readily accessible and pre-configured for immediate use before flight.

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We were in IMC at 4000 feet, on a vector for the VOR-A approach at the Wichita, Kan., Colonel James Jabara Airport. The airplane was an A36 Bonanza and I was in the instructor’s seat on the last approach of a day-long training session. This was in the era before GPS, long before iPads and moving-map handhelds, and the owner of this then-well-equipped 36 had ignored the short-lived Loran phase. So we were eastbound on a long downwind, and crabbing into a northerly wind before intercepting the westbound final approach course before circling to Jabara’s north/south runway.