Low-Viz Takeoffs

Last December 24th, a Cessna 340 crashed at Bartow, Fla., during an attempted predawn, IMC departure. All five aboard the airplane died. We dont know yet what factors, if any, beside the weather may have contributed to this Christmas Eve tragedy. Regardless, the circumstances should remind us of the extra planning and skill needed for a departure into low IMC, day or night-even if everything is going right.

Key Takeaways:

• Low-visibility (IMC) takeoffs are often undertrained and under-evaluated in general aviation, leading to a potential lack of recent pilot experience and proficiency in a high-risk phase of flight.
• Departures into low IMC present unique and magnified hazards, including high workload at a critical phase, late discovery of preflight or aircraft issues, pilot fatigue, and the physiological "false climb" illusion.
• To mitigate these risks, pilots should meticulously plan and execute low-visibility departures by adhering to strict checklists, thoroughly briefing procedures, sterilizing the cockpit, trusting instruments, and considering simulated zero-zero takeoffs in recurrent training.

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