Flight Safety Australia - Close calls

In Greek mythology, the sirens' seductive voices lured mariners to their deaths. In modern aviation, the siren is pilot fixation, as Luke Bayly was lucky enough to discover early in his training.

A recreational pilot's first flight after learning the basics of navigation unravels into an embarrassment that could have been a disaster.

The tiniest change of heading took this pilot out of his comfort zone. Read this close call at: https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2024/02/planning-for-remote-possibilities/

Sticking to a rigid schedule when circumstances have changed is the opposite of safe flight planning. Read this close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/12/i-didnt-plan-on-that/

This newly minted instructor was jolted out of his complacency by an unexpected thunderstorm. Read the close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/01/they-say-it-never-strikes-twice/

A first officer becomes a mere spectator to poor cockpit decision-making and feels the cold hand of fear. Read the close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/10/the-ice-bucket-challenge/

He was heading straight for disaster with 2 passengers on board, when something clicked in. Hear how one pilot learnt his limitations and strengths. Read the close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/09/dog-legs-and-goat-tracks/.

Subtle psychological pressures and an unintentional signal almost killed this experienced flier in the first hours of their career. Read the close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/08/a-tumble-of-numbers/

A private pilot reflects on an early flight and how they would do things differently now. https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/06/alice-through-the-looking-glass/

A gliding incident is the culmination of factors, including ergonomics, maintenance and pilot action. Read this close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/06/decision-or-design/

A paraglider pilot’s skills and drills are tested to the limit on her very first time in the air. Read this close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2021/07/maiden-flight/

Weather affects short flights and long ones equally, as this pilot found out. I hadn’t ever been so glad to feel the earth beneath my wheels as I did when my aircraft touched the runway after this flight. Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/02/what-did-i-think-i-was-doing/

Despite all good intentions, a pilot ends up in a nightmare situation. Self-analysis follows a lucky escape. Read this close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/05/stuck-on-top/

Having purchased a Piper Warrior, endorsements for manual propeller pitch control and retractable undercarriage were straightforward. The next issue that seemed worthwhile addressing was the deadline imposed on VFR pilots by last light. So I embarked on a night VFR endorsement. The darkness of regional Australia at night proves to be more than a match for a city slicker’s night VFR rating.

Some years ago, I was involved in an incident that nearly resulted in a mid-air collision. It happened in the vicinity of the Archerfield Southern Training Area during a training session that I was conducting in a Cessna 172... Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/03/too-close-for-comfort

A former boss once warned me that 'an assumption is the basis of a screw-up'. While I've often repeated that maxim to others, it took 5 white-knuckle minutes to teach myself the wisdom of those words. Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2023/01/assumed-risk/

In this unexpected and scary incident, the pilot reaches for something familiar to use in an unusual way. Read this Close Call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/11/belting-along/

Recent la Niña rainfall has amplified a longstanding aviation hazard, as Steve Blackie discovered. Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/11/water-water-everywhere/

Recreational pilot Luke Bayly discovers the reasons for the seemingly endless drills of his initial training. Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/09/when-efato-calls/

An encounter with lenticular cloud literally shook this pilot out of complacency Read this Close call at https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2022/08/no-getting-over-it/