Real Pilot Stories

Each Real Pilot Story is a true account of a good flight gone bad. Listen to pilots who really have “been there, done that” tell their harrowing tales in hopes of helping the rest of us become better pilots. All presentations contain audio. In order to view the presentations, a Flash plug-in is required.

Pinch Hitting a King Air

Imagine being forced to take over the flight controls of a Beechcraft King Air 200 if you’d never flown anything larger than a Cessna 172.

It happened to Doug White on April 12, 2009, when he and his family were returning home from his brother’s funeral. White was a right-seat passenger in the King Air’s cockpit, with his wife and two teenage daughters in the passenger cabin, when the pilot, Joe Cabuk, became incapacitated. (Approx. 13 mins)

Learn more about: Pinch-Hitter Online Course
Say it Right: Mastering Radio Communications

Produced with the generous support of the Tom Davis Fund.

Engine Failure at Night

Loss of engine power over the Pennsylvania mountains at night.
Aircraft: Cessna 400
Running time: 10:26
Learn more about: Say it Right: Mastering Radio Communications

Vacuum Failure in IMC

Donna Wilt’s vacuum failure was in solid IMC. And thunderstorms.
Aircraft: Cessna Cardinal
Running time: 11:14
Learn more about: Say it Right: Mastering Radio Communications; Pneumatic Systems minicourse; WeatherWise: Thunderstorms and ATC; Pinch-Hitter® course

Ever had a close call in an airplane? Could others learn from your experience? Send ASF the details and we’ll consider using your story in a future edition of Real Pilot Stories!

Updated Tuesday, September 8, 2009