By Dave Patterson
The chances of a genuine emergency are low and pilots practise emergency situations, such as a well-rehearsed engine failure drill, semi-regularly. But how much thought do we put into less time-critical non-normal situations?
The non-normal is a tricky one. Not really an emergency, but not a typical flight either. ‘Expect the unexpected’ they say… but how do we cope when the unexpected sneaks up on us?
Have a pattern to fall back on. There are various options around, but one I quite like is ‘E-D-C-B-A’ – it’s not perfect, but not a bad start.
E – Emergency tasks. Deal with them first. Memory items, etc D – Decide. Gather info on various options and make a safe decision. There may be options later to improve things, but in the meantime you’re on a pathway to safety
C – Communicate. Who do you tell that you have a situation? Who might you get advice from? Squawk a distress code (7700,7600,7500) if it’s appropriate. (I think of the 6 in 7600 as like a C = communications, or lack of). If you can, use bluetooth calling on your headset, which is straightforward and minimises distraction.
B – Books. Is there info in a checklist, a quick reference handbook or flight manual or AIP that may be of help.
A – Approach brief. More for multi-crew or IFR operations, but it’s worth discussing with passengers what’s going on, and at the very least offering reassurance that you have the situation under control and that you have a good plan.
Options, Options, Options
As pilots we’re always looking at options when we fly, starting from before we depart. Fuel and weather options are the obvious contingency considerations, but there are others.
Recently I was flying with a pilot who did a wonderful job of calculating fuel levels required before we departed, loading enough for the planned mission but no extra. There were two of us in a lightly loaded, high performing aircraft. As we were not limited by performance on the airstrips we planned to operate, I suggested adding more fuel, but got out-voted; it wasn’t my fuel card and I was comfortable we had enough.
Isn’t Murphy a beauty? We hadn’t been airborne for more than five minutes when another aircraft joined us and additional options were offered. It was a tough decision to abandon opportunities further afield, but the right call. We were a bit gutted to miss out on visiting a fun location, simply because we were about 20 litres short. Disappointing, but there will be a next time.
Ross Millichamp’s excellent article in this issue on his non-normal situation reminds me of a similar scenario in almost exactly the same place.
In the year 2000, in my very first commercial job, I was sent to pick up a new aircraft for an operator. The mission was to hitch a ride from Wanaka to Christchurch in a Cessna 206 and bring back the new aircraft. Beaut day across the Mackenzie but, just like Ross’s scenario, weather was deteriorating over the Canterbury Plains.
Between Fairlie and Geraldine the pilot got spooked as he remembered the high voltage power lines. Without even drawing breath, he opened the throttle and pulled up. Straight into the cloud. I couldn’t believe what was happening. It was a crazy decision, made far too hastily without considering better options.
Looking back afterwards, he hadn’t planned far enough ahead. The aircraft had got ahead of him, he was out of his comfort zone and had run out of options. Sadly, that pilot didn’t live much longer.
Two takeaways: first, don’t let the aircraft get to somewhere your mind didn’t get to ten minutes ago. Second, do not choose to fly into cloud. This is a terrible, terrible option that has taken the lives of many pilots. Make good early decisions.
Ross’s decision-making process was far better than that of my friend in the C206 and he deserves congratulations. He showed very good early decision making. He didn’t wait until he had to use his superb low flying skills to get him away from a late or poor decision.
The decision to turn around can be a tough one and is not to be underestimated. We all have varying degrees of ‘get-thereitis’ and the desire to complete the mission, and it can be hard to see past that and make a good decision.
Ross’s landing area assessment was good – and it’s worth practising, even between BFRs.
When assessing a landing area, think: Size, Slope, Surface, Surrounding, Stock, Sun, Shape, Communications, Elevation.
Some of these will be obvious, some less so. If you take an extra few moments to give your landing area a good look, with the structured analysis of ‘Seven Ss, C and E’, you’ll have a better chance of identifying challenges and mitigating them safely. This is a pattern that is essential to any landing area assessment and is well worth learning.
Ross made a conscious effort to keep things as normal as possible by:
• Flying a normal circuit
• Using a normal,stable,approach to his chosen aiming point
• Using standard operating procedures
Fly the aircraft! Aviate, Navigate, Communicate
Ross did a nice job of prioritising. He remembered that his responsibility was to get himself and his passengers safely onto the ground. He wasn’t in danger of crashing, but if that scenario develops – and it can happen very quickly – the best thing to do is to ‘Fly the aircraft as deep into the crash as possible’.
If you can get to the ground unstalled and make a reasonable attempt at a landing, there is a very good chance of surviving. If you have to hit something, choose to aim between objects. The wings breaking off as you go between the base of trees or through a gateway is a great way of slowing down. Whatever happens, DO NOT STALL.
We live in some of the windiest areas on earth, the roaring forties. That wind, mixed with terrain and being surrounded by sea, means the weather changes, and can change fast. Keep an eye on all the resources we have for watching the weather.
Ross didn’t mention being in a poor visibility configuration, and it may not have been required. Slowing down has a bunch of benefits. Not least, reducing workload, allows more time to make better decisions. It’s a worthy consideration for a scenario like this, and well worth practising.
Some aspects to consider in a non-normal situation:
Options, options, options. Never stop considering options, even once you’ve made a decision.
Keep things as normal/standard as possible. Normal circuit. Stable approaches.
With a non-normal, unless the engine had stopped or you’re on fire, there’s always more time than you realise. Slow it down. Take a deep breath. Try and stick to a planned process.
Well handled, Ross, and thank you for sharing your story for us to learn from.
If you have a story, don’t be shy – we’ve all made mistakes, had a whoops or done something we wish we hadn’t. Reading about someone else’s experience can help ensure we’re prepared should a similar thing happen to us. Please get in touch (phone, text, email, fax!) if you have an experience to share.
This article first appeared in the Autumn 2023 edition of Approach Magazine, the dedicated magazine of AOPA NZ, which is published quarterly.