Ab-initio AERODROME INCIDENTS

Summary:

Post here any aerodrome incidents that have occurred to you (on the ramp, while taxiing, etc), and help out fellow pilots with theirs.

Aircraft parking

JDPerezgonzalez 23 Oct 2008 03:16

[In behalf of Anonymous user, originally posted on 20 Oct 2008]

It has been a standard procedure for aircrafts to face into wind when we are parked to carry out our run up checks at Palmerston North aerodrome. On this particular day there were three aircrafts parked at yankee a holding area at the aerodrome. this is where we do our run up checks departure brief and a few more checks….
myself and an other […same school…] aircraft was already parked into wind and there was a third aircraft (Y) coming to park … with better situational awareness the third aircraft from another aeroclub should have either waited for at least one of the parked aircraft to move off before they came over to park or parked behind the second aircraft, but what they did instead was they saw an opening between the two parked aircraft and they just parked in between us facing away from wind…. which made complicated things…. and the worst thing was they were about to do their run-up checks with and aircraft behind them. by doing so aircraft (Y) was not only obstructing the other […same school…] plane but also the prop wash when aircraft (Y) was doing its run up's would have blown some small stone or any object to the aircraft behind it causing damage to it…

i hope that everyone reading this would keep a lookout for others who do such things an give them other means of signs to warn them of the danger they may cause.

Last edited on 23 Oct 2008 03:16 by JDPerezgonzalez Show more

Punctured tyre

JDPerezgonzalez 23 Oct 2008 03:40

[In behalf of Anonymous user, originally posted on 21 Oct 2008]

This occured to me recently. I was doing a general handling (GF) flight down in the Southern Training Area. It was a flight leading up to my CPL Cross Country exam.

As the aircraft i was due to fly parked on the […the school's…] apron, i walked out to start pre-flighting it. As i was walking to the aircraft, the instructor who had just flown the aircraft told me that the nosewheel was a little flat. He said that he would get the enginners to pump it up. The engineers pumped the tyre as i was pre-flighting the aircraft. I then continued on with the flight.

After completing all the exercises that i needed to do, I headed back towards Palmerston North. I requested to enter Palmerston North's control zone and to operate in the circuits for 10 minutes. I was cleared to enter the control zone via the Longburn arrival for Runway 07 and also to operate in the circuits. As i was joining right base for Runway 07, i informed tower that i was "Established on right base for runway 07, touch and go." Tower replied with "Continue approach number 1, ATR to take-off". So i continued with my approach. I had visual of the ATR on the runway. As i lined myself up on Final, the ATR started to roll. Tower re-cleared me for a "Stop and go" due to wake turbulence. About 500 feet from the threshold, i was given clearance to land and stop on the runway.

As i landed, my nose suddenly dropped a little and the engine started running rough. I applied intermittent braking. I wasn't sure what was wrong with my aircraft. I informed Tower that i had a problem with my aircraft and requested to taxy back to […the school…]. Tower acknowledged and permitted me to taxy back to […the school…]. I also made a radio call to […] Base frequency informing them of the occurence. As i turned the aircraft to enter the taxiway, i felt that it was hard to manouvre the aircraft. That was when i realised that my front nosewheel tyre had punctured. I managed to taxy the aircraft clear of the runway and passed the holding point. Tower advised me to shut down the aircraft and that […the school's…] engineers were on the way. I did as told and stepped out of the aircraft. That was when i noticed that the entire nosewheel was flat.

A proper incident form was filed for this occurence.

Things to learn from this post:
1. Conduct a thorough pre-flight of your aircraft.
2. Go back to number 1.

nose wheel tyre came off...

faddy 23 Oct 2008 08:34

Just another morning sortie…scheduled to take off at 0800..arrived school at 0730. Checked weather, NOTAMS and green card etc..as usual. Did a QUICK pre-flight because it was kinda cold out there and i think i have missed the nose wheel pressure. Got signed out and start the plane up as usual. Steering started to vibrate after i made the first turn and became uncontrollable soon after. An engineer noticed that and signal me to cut the engine. Luckily the i was still in massey apron so those engineers just push it back to the hanger and changed a new tyre.

Things to learn from this post:

1. same as the previous post lol =Conduct a thorough pre-flight of your aircraft.
2. you still have to do it properly even though you are sleepy or its freezing out there

Wind Quartering

Anonymous (60.234.221.x) 08 Nov 2008 01:34

This incident occurred on a dual navigation to Wellington Aerodrome. The wind that day was 350/ 25G35 KTS. I was going to do a touch and go at Wellington until my takeoff was delayed due to wake turbulence from the departing Boeing. I was asked to make a full stop and to taxi off the runway to make way for the commercial flights. While taxiing to the start of the runway 34, a gust suddenly hit my aircraft, almost tipping my aircraft over.

Only then did I realize the wind quartering is very important. Though it may seem pointless practicing it at Palmerston where winds are not as vicious as Wellington, it should never be taken for granted cause we never know when that gust might hit.

Wanganui circuit

Anonymous (203.100.208.x) 09 Nov 2008 22:10

During my PPL Navigation training, I went on a solo nav to NP via WU to do a touch and go. Coming into WU from PM, I radioed at Fordell and then again 5nm from the field announcing that I was going to do a standard over head rejoin. An aeroclub aircraft replied and said they were 5nm joining straight in for RWY 10, number 1. I kept looking out for them as I was overhead the field and as I was descending on the non-traffic side. I gave my downwind-call but still couldn’t see them so I asked for a position report. They said they were 1nm on short finals, but they were nowhere to be seen. I extended downwind and after searching some more (not just short finals but further up the approach) I assumed they would be at the threshold by now so I slowed and turned onto base leg. During the base leg, I continued to search short finals but the aeroclub aircraft was not there. I turned my head to I couldn’t believe it…I had cut infront of them. But there was no cause for alarm, this wasn’t a near miss as the aircraft was about 3nm away and definitely not on short finals when they gave that radio call. I thought this was bad airmanship on the aeroclub’s part as they were clearly lying about their position to get in front of me. Either that or their judgements are very poor.

Re: Ab-initio AERODROME INCIDENTS

Jakob T 10 Nov 2008 09:33

Prior to PPL i did a touch and go on grass 07 at PM, near the end of my GFs. this was a stupid thing to do, i didnt no it was wrong until my flight instructor asked me how my flight went. I told him it went great, and that my touch and go on the grass was awsome. He was shocked to here that i did a touch and go on the grass. This is stricktly against massey procedures, something that i had forgotten or not read in annex D.

PM tower approved of it, because it isnt illigal, its just against massey procedures, and for good reason, we are students and lack experience! Thankfully my touch and go used very little grass. I was airborn before taxiway two.

Lesson: know your material, and if unsure ask questions.

Tip for readers: learn from others mistakes by reading these articles!

Re: Ab-initio AERODROME INCIDENTS

Anonymous (219.89.177.x) 28 Nov 2008 05:28

ALWAYS DO A WALK AROUND….

this relayed to me by pilot friend….

He had already performed a walk-around of the Cessna 206 and was putting the dipstick away, when he looked up to see a friend (another pilot) who had come to the front of the aircraft. After a brief conversation, the phone rang in the office and that pilot raced off to answer it. Flying pilot hops into aircraft and starts engine, only to hear the dreadful sounds of propeller striking object - which turned out to be a chair that the other pilot had for some reason left in front of the aircraft which had not been spotted by pilot in charge of aircraft.. result = dented propeller.

His message: - if pre-flight inspection is interrupted or whenever you get distracted then always ensure you do another walk-around - this is the last thing you should do before you get in the plane.

No-Smoking!

JDPerezgonzalez 07 Jan 2009 00:16

[In behalf of CxWx, originally posted on 22 Dec 2008]

I'm posting this on behalf of the person involved, with his permission of course.

This incident occured at least 20 years ago while Jack* was training on the Cessna 152. He remembers this incident as it was both hilarious and could have potentially cost him his life:

It was a normal day at the flight school and Jack had completed his morning sorties without incident. He had lunch at the flight school and was hanging around waiting for some friends to complete their flights so that they could walk back to their bunks together. Jack then noticed a couple of his friends gathered around the fuel pump and were refuelling an aircraft. He walked over just to say hi. The short greeting turned into an engrossing conversation and both pilots were distracted from their task. I assume that fuel pumps in that day were not fitted with automatic cut-offs and pilots had to release the pump trigger after the aircraft fuel tank was filled as the pilots had not noticed that the tank was full and had begun to overflow. Jack who so-happened to be standing under the aircraft wing was unfortunately drenced in the flammable liquid. Jack immediately walked away to get a change of clothes and a shower while the others cleaned up the spill.

As Jack walked out of the centre, he saw another group of friends walking towards him. Among them were some smokers who were lighting up. Drenced in AvGas ang reeking of petrol fumes, Jack yelled at them to stay away while running off in another direction.

AvGas has the potential to be explosive in the form of fumes. and Jack may have turned into a ball of fire had his frend come to close to him. AvGas is also harmful if it comes into contact with the eyes or skin and it may have cost Jack his career.

On Hindsight, although part of the incident could have been attributed to Jack's distracing the two pilots, it was not totally his fault. I was also the responsibility of the two pilots to concentrate on their task. It was good judgement and quick thinking on jack's part that saved him from a rather painful experience.

Although humans are social beings, it is part of the professionalism of a pilot, not to be distracted from his task by his co-pilot or another bystander through conversation. Engrossing conversations distract the operator from tasks, especially those that are mundane, refuelling an aircraft for example. I agree that pilots should not totally shut themselves off from other individuals around them, however they should maintain a strong sense of situational awareness and ultimately a form of control over the surrounding environment. The loss of that control through distraction may result in tragedy.

Random (guest) 11 Oct 2010 23:39

Im not sure what category this falls under, as there are bits of several categories that fall into it, however on a PPL NAV flight from PM-AP-TM-WU-PM last year, i was highly fatigued due to having a late night (well early morning) the night before trying to finish an asignment for another paper. I called up ops the next morning saying how i had had very little sleep due to writing an asignment the previous night, however no sympathy was shown, and i got told to hurry up and come in because i would be late.
So i went into milson and and began preflighting my aircraft, being 'encouraged' the entire time to hurry up because i showed up late and my flight was scheduled to depart soon, i once again informed them of my tiredness but again was told to go, because it was such a beautiful day.
I did what i was told, because i was a new student pilot and didnt want to 'rustle any feathers'.
The first part of the flight was fine, i took off out of PM and climbed into controlled airspace, and tracked to AP. I did a fullstop at AP to refuel, then continued my NAV to TM, at TM however, where the runways are 02 and 20, my fatigued kicked in and i got confused on what runway i was joining for a touch and go. I flew overhead and thought i was joining for 02 (because thats what the wind sock was reporting) however on my downwind leg when i made a radio call, an AG pilot on the ground at TM informed me that i was actually joining for 20 with a tailwind. I immediately cleaned the aircraft up and climbed to the overhead rejoin altitude. I thanked the pilot and decided to carryon to WU instead of trying again. The rest of the flight went off with out any problems, because i think i was so nervous and scared that i was going to do something again, that i had complete focus and the near incident had woken me up.
The lesson here, is one again human factors, and to not let anyone else pressure you into flying, even massey or any other operator if you dont think you are 100% focused and prepared. A landing at TM with a tail wind could have possibly rolled me off the end of the runway and into the surrounding hills. I learnt my lesson that day, and i now refuse to fly if i have had a late night the night before primarily for my own safety and for the safety of others in the air.

overtaking because your a spitfire

dagger20 14 Oct 2010 07:10

This was in my days at Ardmore in which i was flying Tecnams toward getting a PPL, i had completed a solo handling practice in the Hauraki Gulf and had returned to Ardmore to join the non-traffic side for runway 21. it was as usual a busy afternoon at Ardmore with at least 5 aircraft established in the circuit, i had no problems as i was joining via to non-traffic side to integrate into the circuit. i had made the applicable radio calls at Clevedon township, remained at 1500 ft. until i was established on non-traffic side in which i descended to 1100ft for the circuit. I was watching and listening out to traffic half way down the non-traffic side leg before turning crosswind for the threshold of the opposite runway, a spit fire had come out of nowhere from above and in front of me, with no previous radio call saying he was joining the non-traffic side. When he appeared, he was so close that i had to take evasive action to the right, into a descending turn and levelled out 900ft about 100 ft. above the helicopter take of landing area (TLOF). Luckily there was no helicopter conducting circuits at that particular moment. I climbed back up to 1100 ft. and proceeded into the circuit to land.

I informed my instructor of what had happened and he said that he saw what happen, while standing out there just watching other aeroplanes. He then told me that what i did was right thing to do and that he had already reported the incident and contacted the organisation about what happened. The aircraft was found to be a NORDO aircraft. In which he had no radio to make calls or receive any. The same aircraft has been a problem in the past for the aerodrome and that the airport company had warned the organisation to get a radio as the traffic density was dangerous for it to operate without one.

he also reminded me the importance of even if you are NORDO, you need to maintain a good look out and manoeuvre in a way in which u can join the circuit but give room to other aircraft as far as practicable to get visual of you, that comes in the form of rocking wings at different intervals of time during the circuit, following the preceding aircrafts flight path as close as practicable in circuits and if an option take a secondary or grass runway from where the main traffic is landing. So as to provide a margin of safety from those who are not paying attention. However in airspace like Ardmore where radio calls are on-going, making the brain fry out quite easily, a methodical scan of the circuit is needed.

my methodical search of traffic to know how many aircraft are ahead of you in the circuit, which i have learnt from Ardmore is, you start from the touch down point of the active runway, then work your way up the final approach leg, back up the base leg, back down the downwind leg to your current position, noting how many aircraft are ahead of you, by doing this u note their position and build up a situation awareness of where and who you are following.

Thanks

dagger20