What is your "oh Sh*t" moment?

[altimaklr]

Most pilots I know have at one time or another survived something harrowing and defied Mr. Darwin. What's the one time when you did/experienced something that scared, freaked, or taught you something.

 

[bobbysamd]

Here's mine

The following is a reprint from a similar discussion last spring.

I was demonstrating a maximum performance landing at Fort Pierce, Florida in a Seminole for two students. One was flying and the other was observing from the back. Tower was giving instructions to a linguistically-challanged Baron, who was circling north of the field and wanted a landing clearance. The tower had pointed out a Cherokee that cut in front of us and which we had in sight. The Controller kept asking the Baron if he had us. He said he did not. The tower told him repeatedly to turn downwind. This moron did not. He converged on us from the right at our altitude. When it became clear that he might midair us, I reduced power and dived as this "pilot" passed overhead. My students, from Italy, estimated 20 meters of separation. I estimated 50 feet.

This gets better (?!?). Tower told the Baron to set up for another runway, but he set up behind us for our runway. Tower kept telling us he was about to eat up our Six. We landed safely. So did this guy.

Bad enough that he near-misses us the first time. We had him in sight. The second segment was far more frightening because he was on our Six and was not in sight.

This whole deal scared me sh--- - well, you can well imagine the type of excrement.

Without a doubt, others who instruct in Florida can relate similar experiences.

 

[ShawnC]

Well for me its going to be forgetting my DL, I have more than once driven accross the state without (I didn't get pulled over thankfully), gonna suck for ramp checks.

 

[Clearsky]

One real close call, a head-on about 50 feet apart. It happened too fast to be scared though. Sorry, not enough hours for anything more harrowing

 

[00Dog]

Taking-off through a dust devil.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Our Brasilia had been loaded nose-heavy all day long...just coincidence. Before every leg, after we "spun the wheel" (W/B calculator), I was having to ask the flight attendant to move two or three people from "A" (the forward cabin) to "C" (rear of the cabin). It became routine.

Now we load up for the last leg of the day, and lo and behold, we're actually tail-heavy. So, I call the F/A and ask her to move some people.

Guess what I told her.

About ten knots under V1/Vr, the nose rose and we popped off the ground. My F/O, who was flying, had the yoke darned near against the instrument panel to keep the airspeed in the ballpark. I immediately realized I had moved payload the wrong direction and made the situation worse.

After we were stable, I called the F/A and asked her to very politely ask those people we'd moved to return to their original seats. Everything was fine after they moved...but when the F/A made her way to the back to talk to those folks, that S.O.B. Brasilia started to wallow, and I swear I could feel a nibble of a buffett.

It wasn't until we got to the hotel that my hands started shaking. I didn't make that mistake again!

 

[uavchaser]

heres mine

had the exhaust collector fall off on the 210 if fly during a go around. lost almost all power and smoke filled the cockpit, aborted go around and landed safely(jammed on the brakes), HOLY SH*T I was shaking for about 2 hours afterwards.

Had a plane come between me and the UAV (while in formation) I could tell the guy was wearing David Clark 13.4's (thats how close).

thats all i can remember for now

 

[JCJ]

Bird Strike

on a/p 6500 ft - solo, vfr, looking out the window at the clouds, talking to God, or something (maybe i was daydreaming) - LOUD "thud", oh s***, realized i was still flying, instruments all looked ok, flight controls ok, then saw blood and feathers on windscreen on copilot's side

no damage, landed safely but definitely got my attention

 

[Jetsnake]

My 3rd wife saying,
"I want a DIVORCE"

You have to love aviation...

"NEXT"

Jetsnake

 

[RightPedal]

One day a CFI friend of mine was working with my boss to get his tailwheel transition in my airplane. We were on our way back home. CFI in back seat, boss in left seat. Crossing the end of a private grass strip owned by another friend, CFI says, pull the power see if he can make the field. Well I did, boss started left turn and says, we can't make the field, it's to short, so I say sure we can, I have the airplane. Well the next mistake was to bank hard left and pull to bring the nose around while holding that left rudder down. Well, you know what most dummys do to compensate for overbanking? Yep, bring in some right aileron. I forget what you call it but it did it. In a small part of a second I was in a full stall, nose pointed straight into a tall oak tree at the end of the runway at somewhere about 200agl. Let go of the controls, full power, start the round out and made a beautiful wheel landing at about 50 indicated, killed the power and rolled to a stop right in front of a hanger full of onlookers.
Well, those old men proceeded to ream my boss a new one. My CFI buddy bailed and headed straight for the mens room. These men were all retired military and airline pilots with probably 100,000 hours between them. These guys knew me and I was left with no choice but to tell the truth or get the crap stomped out of me. Moral of the story. If your going to do something stupid, make sure you do it by yourself and don't let anybody see you do it.