Register

Starry, Starry Night

Dodging thunderstorms over the Everglades at night in a single. What could go wrong?

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An impulsive night flight in a single-engine plane over the Everglades led the pilot to unexpectedly encounter storms, despite a pre-flight weather check.
  • Reluctant to climb for ATC assistance due to an irrational fear of "the bends," the pilot improvised by navigating around the storms using visible stars to identify clear paths.
  • The experience highlighted the pilot's lack of attention to terrain and weather details, and reinforced the importance of thorough planning over impulsive decisions in aviation.
See a mistake? Contact us.

So I shot off my mouth one night among some friends at their Florida beach house. I had flown a Lance down for the holiday weekend, empty, and the friends were curious about small planes. Alcohol may have been involved, but I heard my voice volunteering to pop down to Key West the next day from Clearwater.

When we woke up the next morning, they remembered, so I had little choice but to load up the three friends and launch for Key West. We flew down the coast to Marathon, staying close to land, and then followed the Keys to the end. The flight was uneventful, and soon the boys were snorkeling and the girls shopping. We regrouped later for dinner and headed to the airport, arriving around dusk.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE