Miracle Intervention of Fate Leads to Positive Outcome on Flight to South Africa

Flying conditions can change rapidly, especially the weather, so it's best to always be prepared.

Peter Dearlove

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A flight to South African reminded the author how fascinating flying can be. [Illustration: Joel Kimmel]

Key Takeaways:

A VFR pilot, complacent about benign local weather, encountered rapidly deteriorating conditions mid-flight with his family, necessitating an emergency diversion.
Unable to locate the intended airfield due to low clouds and obscured terrain, he was preparing for a dirt road landing when a glider unexpectedly appeared, revealing the hidden airstrip.
The experience served as a critical lesson, prompting him to pursue an instrument rating and highlighting the importance of thorough map reading and preparedness for sudden weather changes.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Learning to fly and becoming the owner of a Cessna 182 were two of the happiest and most exciting times of my life.

Over the next few years, I could scarcely be kept out of the cockpit, flying friends and relatives wherever and whenever they wanted. What I did not do, however, was expand my skills with an instrument rating—all my flying was VFR. That was because of the benign weather in the country where I lived in the heart of Central Africa, and in truth, there was only one occasion in more than 1,000 hours when I regretted the omission.