Pilots Must Get Back in Air After Scare

When an instructional flight goes sideways, there are lessons to be learned about managing the aftermath and the psychology of returning to the cockpit.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, October 07, 2025 at 11:45 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

When you acquire pilot certificates and ratings rapidly, you may be ready for the next check ride while flying on a temporary certificate. But is that legal? [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Returning to flight after an accident, especially during instructional sessions, presents significant psychological challenges for both the pilot and instructor.
Even with highly experienced CFIs, accidents can occur during critical flight phases like landing due to unpredictable factors such as sudden weather shifts.
Effective post-accident management involves accepting responsibility, addressing the psychological impact on both the learner and instructor, and using the experience as a lesson to move forward.

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One of the most challenging things a pilot can do is get back into the air after they’ve had an accident or incident. This is particularly true if the event happened during a dual instructional flight.

Problems during an instructional flight are rare as most CFIs have their guard up. The experienced instructors are prepared for anything, from an unexpected mechanical issue, like a loss of oil pressure or the oil cap door popping open during the run-up, to the learner doing something silly and potentially dangerous because they don’t know any better—like trying to steer with the yoke on the ground and stomping on the rudder like it is the brake of a car.