Pilots: Ever had a close call while flying? What happened?

Question

Mine was whilst performing a hammerhead in a Pitts.

Answer 1

Although most folks won't admit it, most if not all pilots have close calls at some point in there flying career.  

Mine came trying to beat a thunderstorm to an airfield.  All of the sudden I'm surrounded by lightning and ice is building on my wings faster than the anti-ice could melt it.  I decided that arriving at my alternate alive was a much better option than crashing just short of my destination.

Answer 2

going through a check ride VFR about 45 miles southwest of Atlanta just cruising along at about 6,000 feet when both of us noticed this little thing creeping into our view dead on. It was a similar plane (172) going the exact opposite direction. Took all of 3 seconds and we were both playing chicken, luckily he swerved left as so did we missing each other by about 100 feet but the story is better told on the ground than smashing 6,000 feet above the ground.

Answer 3

Went out flying one night after work with one of the instructors in a Cessna 152 at the airport where I worked. Silly bugger miscalculated his approach and we put the landing gear through the big snowbank at the end of the runway. No damage but one of the mains was flat by the next morning. Heavy laundry day though.  

Answer 4

Teaching autorotations to a new student was something I did on a regular basis. I admit, a small amount of complacency had set in. That afternoon I was trying to explain the mechanics of the maneuver to a student with limited english skills. as we approached the entry point the studet became overly nervous and without warning reduced the throttle to idle while bleeding all airspeed off. In a small helicopter this is not the best situation to be in at low altitudes. As we plumit to the earth I begin to fight the unknowing student for control of the throttle. They have a death grip and won't release it for to bring back engine power. Next step, while continuing to overpower the student, i begin to try and gain airspeed to aid in the landing that is very rapidly approaching. As we near the ground I have managed to regain approximately 30 kts airspeed and throttled up to maybe half engine power. This was barely enough to get the aircraft of the ground without damage. My pride was a bit scarred, but a lesson well remembered. Never ever let your guard down, no matter how comfortable you feel!!!!!

Answer 5

>>  performing a hammerhead in a Pitts.

A WHAT??

OMG!  Mine is nothing like that.  My first time solo, I almost stalled.  BUT I'm still alive.

Good luck...

Answer 6

I took the active to back taxi at a small airport once, and while turning around to line up so I could take off someone took off downwind behind me, and did not clear me by much. Not a good day in my aviation experience.

Answer 7

While doing very steep turns, I encountered the kind of turbulence that happens when you lose altitude and fly through your own wing vortex, but much worst.  That's when I saw the military helicopter. It was flying about 50' above and heading exactly away from me. They went on their merry way with no deviation of their flight path. So they probably never knew how close we came to a mid-air. It was my fault, due to Improper look out. My head was in the cockpit, trying to do the perfect 360, instead of looking for traffic. Thank God my stupidity didn't kill them.