Use Your Checklist

Knowing how and when and why to do things in the airplane starts with it.

Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 08:34 AM ET

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Whatever stage of flying you are in, preflight checks before takeoff are a necessary element of your flight. [FLYING file photo]

Key Takeaways:

Even highly experienced pilots can make critical errors, underscoring the vital importance of diligently following preflight checklists, a safety practice born from early aviation accidents.
Effective checklist use requires pilots to understand the purpose and context of each item, not just memorize steps, to avoid inappropriate or dangerous actions in varying flight conditions.
Instructors play a crucial role in ensuring learners comprehend checklist principles and actively correcting dangerous misconceptions, fostering adaptability rather than blind adherence to rote procedures.

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Recently, I found myself writing about the crash involving veteran military and airshow pilot Dale “Snort” Snodgrass. According to the final NTSB report, the June 2021 loss of his SIAI Marchetti was attributed to failure to remove the control lock before initiating takeoff, resulting in an unrecoverable stall-spin scenario on takeoff. The fact that such an experienced pilot (with more than 6,500 hours and a career as a naval aviator) missed this item—which is usually one of the first things on the preflight checklist—should put the rest of us on notice.

It could happen to us—so follow that checklist like your life depends on it.