Most Embarrassing Aviation Moment

[Bwalker]

My most embarrassing moment happened on my instrument checkride in Ft. Pierce. It was a somewhat hot day, and I didn’t close my door until after the run-up. I had my instrument goggles stored in an open, rectangular compartment located on my door. The engine was still running at 1500+ rpm’s. To close the door, I had to push it open just enough to slam it shut. As I slightly opened the door less than a foot, just enough to close it, my instrument goggles were sucked up by the slipstream and gone in a blur. I looked over at my examiner, Bill Corkeran (an old-school guy, around 75), and told him, “Sir, my foggles just flew out of the aircraft. Bill said, “your not gonna get out of using your hood! Go get ‘em!” He cut the mixture on the left engine, I hopped out of the Duchess and found my goggles in the grass at the side of the taxiway at least 200 feet behind the airplane. At least I ended up passing the checkride.

 

[Dazzler]

Yay! My first "flaming hot" topic on this board!

 

[mastermags]

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This didn't happen to me, but it actually happened at our school. One of the second year students (the more senior ones) was in a hurry on a solo flight. He ended up taxing and taking off with a tow bar still on the front of the 172. I have no idea how he didn't notice!

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He is lucky the prop didn't strike it. I've seen pics of that happening and it's ugly

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One of the CFI's at my airport did that once... D'oh!!

 

[fr8dog]

I probably should keep this one for myself....but in the spirit of sharing..
My most embarrasing moment is when cleared for T/O rwy 24 at the intersection, I taxied onto, and turned east, you guessed it, towards 6 and sat there brakes on for a while (at night) wondering why the heck I was 1000 feet from the end.......

Needless to say i fell pretty stupid when tower called as I was making the u-turn..........
"XXX you seem to be facin...ok, you noticed, still, clear for t/o rwy 24, that's SW.....sir...."

 

[kellwolf]

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looked over at my examiner, Bill Corkeran (an old-school guy, around 75), and told him, “Sir, my foggles just flew out of the aircraft. Bill said, “your not gonna get out of using your hood! Go get ‘em!” He cut the mixture on the left engine, I hopped out of the Duchess and found my goggles in the grass at the side of the taxiway at least 200 feet behind the airplane. At least I ended up passing the checkride.

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My friend will drive from Orlando down to Ft Pierce to take checkrides with Corkeran. I don't know of him failing anyone, and he kinda has the reputation of Santa Clause.

On my friend's multi-comm checkride, Corkeran pulled the throttle back on the right engine and said "Hey, what just happened?" My friend looked down, told him that the throttle was pulled back on the right engine, and told him what he would have done if the engine were failed. Corkeran's response: "well, now we've got THAT out of the way..."

 

[Bwalker]

He does have that reputation. Although, he has failed quite a few people at my school. His main concern is to make sure the applicant can fly the airplane safely and apply real-world knowledge.

 

[BlueStreak]

taking some of my friends up for the first time and nearly tearing the gear off of the plane. It's amazing how much stress the dang gear can take when you "forget" to line it up with the runway on a crosswind landing. I had one heck of a crab angle still in place when I touched down.....oww that hurts (not just the gear but my ego

) Oh well, live and learn.

 

[tonyw]

I got the nickname "Skippy" after one of my, um, "landings."

I looked at them funny and asked, why Skippy?

They said because I was hopping on down the runway like a kangaroo.

 

[drummerboy]

I think many have had the radio screw up, Good Morning ground, at 4:30 in the afternoon.

 

[Rodelu]

Mine was a tail strike during a soft field take off. No damage to the airplane (other than a scrape to the tie down ring)...