Scariest time as a pilot

[Capt. Underpants]

Over the prairies at 02:00 local in a Learjet on a medivac. We were in cloud with smooth air at FL350. The forecast called for possible isolated CBs but nothing was on our radar and the ATC frequency was quiet. Next thing we knew, we saw a flash of lightning, encountered heavy rain and the aircraft entered an uncontrolled climb at about 5000 ft/min. We advised ATC and they said we were clear above all the way to FL430. I was waiting for the inevitable other side where we'd start dropping like a stone but in what seemed like seconds, we popped out the top at FL385 and found ourselves over the anvil. I'm sure my voice changed slightly that night and it took some doing to extricate the seat cushion from my butt. We learned later that our radar RT (which had worked fine on the previous leg) had crapped the bed.

[goldeneagle]

If one filters thru the regular AvCanada drivel postings polluting this thread, a thread like this has potential to be enlightening for some.

My scariest time in an aircraft was back in the early 80's, Booth Arrival into YVR in a Chieftan. Was around 8pm or so, lots of big buildups on the north shore with freezing level well below us. I was IMC and there was a diesel 9 about 20 miles behind me. I knew it was not going to be fun when I heard them on the radio saying 'Vancouver AC 222 would like to stay up at 220 till the VOR'. At one point somewhere over Harrison Lake we went into some heave precip that started sticking to the airplane. Chieftan lightly loaded, just two pax and not a lot of granny gas on board but we were still going down at a thousand feet a minute with both handles pushed as far forward as they will go. The folks on arrival were really good, they did give me headings to get me out where they could get us lower and below freezing levels. I know we ended up lower than the numbers on the arrival plate, but I dont think we got below the minimum vector altitude, was scary none the less.

But that was NOTHING compared to the Navair MU2 out over Mable Lake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbm8xzLVgQ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lAu-HpzqM4

I've often wondered if the folks from on ROM that night are around this site. I remember hearing about it the next day, was an unbelievable story floating around the airport, lotsa folks calling BS. I think the tapes played back above are pretty definitive on that event.

[goingnowherefast]

I never screwed around with Navajos in icing...well same goes for turbine anything, but slightly more tolerant when there's reserve power and more altitude options in pressurized airplanes

[C.W.E.]

Looking back over the years flying in icing conditions there were a few that sure got my attention.

But the most unusual one was in a Turbo Goose on a trip from Terrace to Vancouver when we encountered a faster build up then forecast and the airplane started to get real difficult to control in the pitching movements.

I was easy to fix, all we needed to do was ask Vancouver for a right hand turn and a lower altitude west of the mountains to get below the freezing altitude.

Of all the airplanes I ever flew in icing that was the weirdest handling machine in icing I ever ran across.

But it was a real performer and a joy to fly in normal conditions and I would love to be able to afford one as a personal toy.


Another interesting thing was it was one of the first turbine powered airplanes I flew, got checked out in the Turbo Goose and the Twin Otter on floats at the same time in the fall of 1974.

[PilotDAR]

There have been many. most were scary upon later reflection, as I was busy flying at the time. In terms of my instantly wondering if I would be a TSB report the next day, it was probably the maintenance check flight in which I suddenly found that the elevator trim, though moving the correct direction (I checked before flight) was moving in the wrong travel range, and thus made the plane both un trimmable, and very nearly unflyable. That was a full muscle, full skill, very small circuit.

Happily the scariest flight I had, that time, as the instructor, I really don't remember. Though I remember water coming in the windshield. I woke up four days later with my wife, a doctor and a couple of nurses telling me to wiggle my toes. Three months later I was home, four months after that, I went for a check flight with an instructor. It was like I flew the day before !

So there is scary stuff out there, fly as though you're worried that an accident is about to happen, even though it probably won't...

[BE20 Driver]

Hello guys/gals,

Lately, I was thinking about something interesting to ask and to learn from. I was wondering if some of you would share what was the scariest thing that have ever happened to you in your pilot career.

Thanks!

Pay day.

[jakeandelwood]

I never screwed around with Navajos in icing...well same goes for turbine anything, but slightly more tolerant when there's reserve power and more altitude options in pressurized airplanes

The MU-2 pilots always said they'd rather be in a Navajo in ice. When was that incident over mabel lake? Before my time i think

[lownslow]

The MU-2 pilots always said they'd rather be in a Navajo in ice.

That’s amazing. I’ve never flown a ho but the rice rocket will carry a lot more ice than it has any right to as long as everything is serviceable.

[confusedalot]

He he he.........

Retired for stupid reasons after 4 decades but I got a passtime with pocket money dropping skydivers.............

Hardest and most stressful job in my life. AND, believe it of not, need to fly to a standard that exceeds anything I ever did. All that for pocket money.

Thought I saw it all after 40 years from cessnas to 747's and everything in between.

I was wrong.

Inflated egos need not apply. Adrenaline junkies are the perfect fit. I am neither of those, so I do what I can and show up for work with more trepidation than I ever have..........Flying was always easy for me, this stuff.....not so much.