Do Pilots Think About Crashing?

[NYCA News]

NYCAviation:

Do Pilots Think About Crashing?

It's the pilot's job to worry about crashing. It's in their best interest, and yours too.
[Click to Read Full Article]

[stratoduck]

Back when I was flying, I thought all the time about wrecks, especially when I was a Captain.

When there is a problem with the weather, a maintenance issue, ATC instruction that doesn't sound right, I would think about the possible outcomes, often thinking about a specific accidents relating to the situation. Thunderstorms and ground icing in specific.

Now my job is a little different now - I have to make judgement calls on if the person's skills or other attributes may cause an accident. So I still think about it all the time.

[moose135]

It all depended on who I was flying with...

[hiss srq]

I think if you are not, you are not assessing risk in your judgement and results you are not doing the job correctly, very small things lead to very big things quickly, particularly when you are dealing with a large fast transport catagory jet or turboprop.

[threeholerglory]

after having an engine failure and landing in a back yard pasture (picture below), i can confidently say i NEVER think about crashing...risk assessment and safety considerations are one thing, but crashing is an ends to (in my belief) a mindset that believes in giving up. Having flown pistons (single and multi), turbine twins, and going through over 100 hours of jet training, the LAST thing on my mind is anything other than what else i can to to ensure a safe outcome from an anomaly. Anyone who asks me if i'm scared when i'm flying gets the same response, and i live by it, breathe it, and will die by it: "if you're scared, you're unprepared". just my 2 cents. I was 18 when i suffered engine stoppage, and landed in 311' (as measured by CT state police) in the snow on December 15, 2005 while working toward my commercial certificate. I had 150 total hours at the time.

[megatop412]

after having an engine failure and landing in a back yard pasture (picture below), i can confidently say i NEVER think about crashing...risk assessment and safety considerations are one thing, but crashing is an ends to (in my belief) a mindset that believes in giving up. Having flown pistons (single and multi), turbine twins, and going through over 100 hours of jet training, the LAST thing on my mind is anything other than what else i can to to ensure a safe outcome from an anomaly. Anyone who asks me if i'm scared when i'm flying gets the same response, and i live by it, breathe it, and will die by it: "if you're scared, you're unprepared". just my 2 cents. I was 18 when i suffered engine stoppage, and landed in 311' (as measured by CT state police) in the snow on December 15, 2005 while working toward my commercial certificate. I had 150 total hours at the time.

I'm glad you had that field available and were not over another part of that state that happened to be either forested or densely populated. You would have had a whole different mess on your hands.

[threeholerglory]

I'm glad you had that field available and were not over another part of that state that happened to be either forested or densely populated. You would have had a whole different mess on your hands.

being that i probably wouldnt have survived it, the mess would have been someone else's hands...and believe me, i'm glad that field was there too! definitely the greatest landing i've EVER made. smooth too ;-)

[PhilDernerJr]

Did the snow actually help you slow down?

[threeholerglory]

the picture was taken after I landed there, I landed on 12/15/2005 so the snow was wet from rain and partially melted. It was about 6" of powder when I landed so it definitely slowed me down a LOT...with no wind and landing with a little extra speed (to make sure I actually made it to the field) I figure I would have burned maybe 500' or so if I got on the brakes on pavement...between max braking and possible thrust reverse from my heavy breathing I stopped in 311' according to the state police (we found where my tracks started and used their walker thing that measures distance...not really sure what it's called). Long story short, yeah it definitely helped.

[727C47]

when it hits the fan you are to busy to think of crashing, from single engine approaches to minnies in the DC3, to jammed leading edge devices on the 727, you are in the moment solving the problem, using your training,experience,moxie, and a bit of the grace of God for a successful outcome.

[megatop412]

I guess that's just the pilot's version of the instinct to do whatever it takes to survive, and it makes sense to be in 'problem-solving mode' instead of 'we're gonna crash' mode. Sitting in the back, I always hope the flight crew is in 'problem solving mode' while I dutifully mange my anxiety about this with alcohol

[USAF Pilot 07]

I think the only time I've really thought about crashing is when things are going normally, it's quiet in the flight deck and there's nothing to do except think about anything and everything, especially when you're flying at night doing an Ocean crossing. That and when you get into an abnormal situation but still have at an hour or two drive to the nearest suitable airfield and are just hoping nothing else goes wrong.

Once **** hits the fan, like 727C47 said, you become in problem solving mode - we train for just about everything and we train to take those situations to a logical conclusion with a safe ending. You fall back on your training and discipline to hope that each decision you're making is the correct one or at least one that allows you to solve the problem or recover the aircraft safely.

[PhilDernerJr]

This paragraph from the article is something I've been saying for a long time myself...

Transoceanic flying induces a unique feeling of loneliness. Out here, you are on your own; there is no radar coverage or conventional air traffic control. Flights are spaced apart by time and speed, sequenced along paths of latitude and longitude called “tracks.” Pilots report their positions to monitoring stations hundreds, even thousands of miles away, silently via satellite link — or, in the case of the old DC-8, over high-frequency radio. There’s something in the crackling, echoing transmission of an HF transmission that intensifies a sense of distance and isolation.

“Gander, Gander,” calls the captain. “DHL zero-one one, position. Five-eight north, three zero west at zero-five, zero-four. Flight level two eight zero. Estimate five-eight north, four-zero west at zero-five four six. Next: five-six north, five-zero west. Mach eight-six. Fuel seven two decimal six, over?”

I'm not a pilot, but I've sat jumpseat on many overnight oceanic crossings, and I've both given and received such position reports. Hearing that faint, scratchy HF radio really makes you feel that you're all alone out there, and if anything happens, help is far away and it's up to you to rely on your training to get you home. That is when pilots really earn their dollars.

They say boredom is the biggest killer, causing complacency.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Hearing that faint, scratchy HF radio really makes you feel that you're all alone out there, and if anything happens, help is far away and it's up to you to rely on your training to get you home.

Very true, especially out in the South Pacific which makes the Atlantic look like a puddle.

[727C47]

crossed the pacific in '91 ferrying a DC3 , OAK to BKK,longest leg was HNL to Tarawa,15.5 hrs, we were in loose formation with another 3, helped keep the loneliness at bay,but we were very alone ,and very,very,small against the vast blue above and beneath.