Life's most embarrassing moment!

flyer · 01-08-2009, 05:24 PM

After yesterday snow storm, I wanted to take a break, so I decided on the spur of the moment to take the afternoon off and go flying. I called my wife to tell her I was picking her up for some leisure flying (her and her cousin and cousin's wife who are actually at our place for a few days).

So, we found ourselves flying at about 7000 ft. and cruising at 165 mph T.A.S., when all of a sudden we hear a very loud bang, kind of like a shotgun. I immediately reduced throttle and gave a very serious look at the instruments, but everything was in the "green" and the motor was running as smooth as ever and pulling strongly. So, I carefully checked all the controls, but everything worked fine.

In the meantime, I see my passengers are so pale, I can almost see through them (not me, I'm a tough guy

). So, since I reduced throttle, the speed as dropped enough to bring the gear down, so I just do that in case of a "juice" leak before the thing could be empty. In the meantime, I found an airport about 10 min. away, so I called to announce a precautionary landing due to a loud bang in the plane. As I lined up to land, I see the airport management has called for emergency crews in the form of a fire truck, an ambulance and two police cars (probably ALL the emergency staff in that small town). After I landed (I really greased that one) and we came to a stop, I disembarked and asked my wife's cousin to hand me down my wife's wheelchair so I could reassemble it to transfer my wife. So he handed me down the frame, the footrests, and then he said: "Hey, Yves, there's a flat wheel on Wendy's chair." Do I need to tell you I got laughed at by the emergency guys at the airport. Anyway, no harm done, but I'm not going to forget that flight anytime soon.

dazman · 01-08-2009, 05:51 PM

Made me laugh...BUT...better safe than sorry.

Ole · 01-08-2009, 05:54 PM

Thanks for sharing your story. Let 'em laugh, you did the right thing!

Mark2100 · 01-08-2009, 05:57 PM

Ouch! But that's funny

You've got to wonder how big that tire got before it blew at 7,000'.

Reminder.... Partially release air from all pneumatic devices prior to takeoff

Ed in GA · 01-08-2009, 06:32 PM

That's a great story. As a pilot myself, I can understand the angst of your passengers.

As the pilot, you don't have time to be scared, you had work to do. After any incident, such as that, the adrenalin will have you shaking like a leaf.

What's the old saying.... "Flying is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror."

Mile High · 01-08-2009, 06:36 PM

The story is kind of funny, now; but being up there and not knowing where the noise came from, you did the right thing and got everybody safely down. That's what mattered!

flyer · 01-08-2009, 06:47 PM

Scared the s**t out of everybody for sure. As for the adrenaline flowing and shaking like a leaf after, you're damn right. Now, if only somebody could help me with the "bar bill" that came after...

cupic · 01-08-2009, 06:50 PM

Maybe too many "G's" affected the wheels

cheers

dantuyhoa · 01-08-2009, 09:51 PM

Funny indeed

!

But you're safe and can joke about it so that what counts !

**Mallee Boy** · 01-09-2009, 12:18 AM

Very glad your moment was only embarrassing. Bet the beer tasted good.

I have had quite a few embarrassing moments over the years, but one that sticks out was when I was chairperson of a community hospital board, came in from working , raced down dinner, shower, into the suit and out the door in record time to chair the regular monthly meeting some 5 miles away. Pulled into the car park and immediatley noticed no other vehicles

....when the penny dropped....I was a day early.

So with a quick glance around the 'empty' carpark I did a U turn and headed home, quite pleased that no-one had seen me.

The next night I arrive at the meeting and before I could sit down was bombarded with amused queries as to what I was doing driving around the hospital car park the night before......so much for not being seen!!!! It appears the whole bloody town had seen me and guessed what was going on

much to their delight.

Small country towns. You cant do nothin'!

khardur · 01-09-2009, 03:12 AM

funny story, and glad everything was okay.

It may be embarrassing after you find out what it was, but you can't take any chances when other peoples lives depend on you making the right decisions. A job well done.

Tom S. · 01-09-2009, 03:36 AM

Air pressure and altitude will get you every time!

I have also heard reports of people with those expensive sleep number beds in motor homes breaking due to air pressure when traveling in high altitudes.

All's well that ends well. Did AAA fix the wheel chair flat?

Mike Cash · 01-09-2009, 07:20 AM

I have the same problem with flatulence when I go up in the mountains around my town to take pictures. Fortunately, it has never been so bad that I mistook it for a tire blowout. Perhaps I should have the number of a good proctologist on speed-dial just in case. It never hurts to be prepared.

mithrandir · 01-09-2009, 09:56 AM

You were fortunate that the tire did not rupture in such a way as to do structural damage.

MRRiley · 01-09-2009, 10:11 AM

Better alive and embarassed than dead and blamed (for disregarding an unidentified bang)!

01-08-2009, 05:24 PM	#1
flyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ste-Anne des Plaines, Qc., Canada Posts: 2,013	Life's most embarrassing moment! After yesterday snow storm, I wanted to take a break, so I decided on the spur of the moment to take the afternoon off and go flying. I called my wife to tell her I was picking her up for some leisure flying (her and her cousin and cousin's wife who are actually at our place for a few days). So, we found ourselves flying at about 7000 ft. and cruising at 165 mph T.A.S., when all of a sudden we hear a very loud bang, kind of like a shotgun. I immediately reduced throttle and gave a very serious look at the instruments, but everything was in the "green" and the motor was running as smooth as ever and pulling strongly. So, I carefully checked all the controls, but everything worked fine. In the meantime, I see my passengers are so pale, I can almost see through them (not me, I'm a tough guy). So, since I reduced throttle, the speed as dropped enough to bring the gear down, so I just do that in case of a "juice" leak before the thing could be empty. In the meantime, I found an airport about 10 min. away, so I called to announce a precautionary landing due to a loud bang in the plane. As I lined up to land, I see the airport management has called for emergency crews in the form of a fire truck, an ambulance and two police cars (probably ALL the emergency staff in that small town). After I landed (I really greased that one) and we came to a stop, I disembarked and asked my wife's cousin to hand me down my wife's wheelchair so I could reassemble it to transfer my wife. So he handed me down the frame, the footrests, and then he said: "Hey, Yves, there's a flat wheel on Wendy's chair." Do I need to tell you I got laughed at by the emergency guys at the airport. Anyway, no harm done, but I'm not going to forget that flight anytime soon.

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01-08-2009, 05:51 PM	#2
dazman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,949	Made me laugh...BUT...better safe than sorry.

01-08-2009, 05:54 PM	#3
Ole Administrator Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,409	Thanks for sharing your story. Let 'em laugh, you did the right thing!

01-08-2009, 05:57 PM	#4
Mark2100 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 185	Ouch! But that's funny You've got to wonder how big that tire got before it blew at 7,000'. Reminder.... Partially release air from all pneumatic devices prior to takeoff

01-08-2009, 06:32 PM	#5
Ed in GA Guest	That's a great story. As a pilot myself, I can understand the angst of your passengers. As the pilot, you don't have time to be scared, you had work to do. After any incident, such as that, the adrenalin will have you shaking like a leaf. What's the old saying.... "Flying is hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror."

01-08-2009, 06:36 PM	#6
Mile High Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 161	The story is kind of funny, now; but being up there and not knowing where the noise came from, you did the right thing and got everybody safely down. That's what mattered!

01-08-2009, 06:47 PM	#7
flyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ste-Anne des Plaines, Qc., Canada Posts: 2,013 Original Poster	Scared the s**t out of everybody for sure. As for the adrenaline flowing and shaking like a leaf after, you're damn right. Now, if only somebody could help me with the "bar bill" that came after...

01-08-2009, 06:50 PM	#8
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Maybe too many "G's" affected the wheels cheers

01-08-2009, 09:51 PM	#9
dantuyhoa Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,245	Funny indeed ! But you're safe and can joke about it so that what counts !

01-09-2009, 12:18 AM	#10
Mallee Boy Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,904	Very glad your moment was only embarrassing. Bet the beer tasted good. I have had quite a few embarrassing moments over the years, but one that sticks out was when I was chairperson of a community hospital board, came in from working , raced down dinner, shower, into the suit and out the door in record time to chair the regular monthly meeting some 5 miles away. Pulled into the car park and immediatley noticed no other vehicles ....when the penny dropped....I was a day early. So with a quick glance around the 'empty' carpark I did a U turn and headed home, quite pleased that no-one had seen me. The next night I arrive at the meeting and before I could sit down was bombarded with amused queries as to what I was doing driving around the hospital car park the night before......so much for not being seen!!!! It appears the whole bloody town had seen me and guessed what was going on much to their delight. Small country towns. You cant do nothin'!

01-09-2009, 03:12 AM	#11
khardur Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NW Massachusetts Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,560	funny story, and glad everything was okay. It may be embarrassing after you find out what it was, but you can't take any chances when other peoples lives depend on you making the right decisions. A job well done.

01-09-2009, 03:36 AM	#12
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	Air pressure and altitude will get you every time! I have also heard reports of people with those expensive sleep number beds in motor homes breaking due to air pressure when traveling in high altitudes. All's well that ends well. Did AAA fix the wheel chair flat?

01-09-2009, 07:20 AM	#13
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	I have the same problem with flatulence when I go up in the mountains around my town to take pictures. Fortunately, it has never been so bad that I mistook it for a tire blowout. Perhaps I should have the number of a good proctologist on speed-dial just in case. It never hurts to be prepared.

01-09-2009, 09:56 AM	#14
mithrandir Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,895	You were fortunate that the tire did not rupture in such a way as to do structural damage.

01-09-2009, 10:11 AM	#15
MRRiley Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sterling, VA, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,275	Better alive and embarassed than dead and blamed (for disregarding an unidentified bang)!