Great video. Being able to admit your mistakes and learn from them is the most important thing to remaining vigilant and constantly questioning yourselves.
The 180° turn is good but remember the 4 C’s , Climb, Communicate, Confess, and Comply. Climbing gives better radio coverage for nav and coms plus terrain separation, communicate your problem, confess-admit the problem, the comply with ATC who can help you out and give you options. Great job, great learning experience for sure.
I have often pondered the decision tree on choosing the 180 versus 4C. I guess if I am low, I climb regardless. If I am high enough, and know there is clear air behind I do the 180. In their case, it wasn't much better where they came from.
When this happened we were more than 3000AGL in an area where 150 miles in any direction wouldn't have any obstacles that high. Due to how closed in we got from behind a climb would have been in the clouds and if we got above them we would still have the problem of coming back down through them. Thankfully we were well within ATC coverage and were able to get a pop-up IFR clearance quickly. The airplane was well equipped and the safety pilot was IFR certificated and current.
Great job sharing your experience. One lesson I took away from this was to file an IFR plan on the ground if there’s any chance of weather issues, and cancel in the air if things turn out nice. Instead of taking off VFR and then having to duck around clouds, terrain and airspaces while filing a pop-up IFR.
Think back: while you were immersed in your dire situation, all around you were pilots who fly in that kind of weather all the time and think nothing of it. To them everything was normal; they had no idea that in your cockpit panic was at the threshold. Experience and training make all the difference in the world. Makes you think, doesn’t it? Tell us: when you found yourself suspended inside that virtual ping-pong ball and unable to see anything but white and water, did you ever feel like you couldn’t breathe and were about to drown?
During the time of this incident only the safety pilot was instrument rated. After this event I (Andrew) was very motivated to get my instrument rating and got it shortly after.
Great video. Being able to admit your mistakes and learn from them is the most important thing to remaining vigilant and constantly questioning yourselves.
The 180° turn is good but remember the 4 C’s , Climb, Communicate, Confess, and Comply. Climbing gives better radio coverage for nav and coms plus terrain separation, communicate your problem, confess-admit the problem, the comply with ATC who can help you out and give you options. Great job, great learning experience for sure.
I have often pondered the decision tree on choosing the 180 versus 4C. I guess if I am low, I climb regardless. If I am high enough, and know there is clear air behind I do the 180. In their case, it wasn't much better where they came from.
When this happened we were more than 3000AGL in an area where 150 miles in any direction wouldn't have any obstacles that high. Due to how closed in we got from behind a climb would have been in the clouds and if we got above them we would still have the problem of coming back down through them.
Thankfully we were well within ATC coverage and were able to get a pop-up IFR clearance quickly. The airplane was well equipped and the safety pilot was IFR certificated and current.
Thanks for sharing this story and being super transparent. Glad to guys made it out safe to tell the story.
Btw were any of you guys instrument rated?
Glad you boys made it out safe and sound!
good work
Great job sharing your experience. One lesson I took away from this was to file an IFR plan on the ground if there’s any chance of weather issues, and cancel in the air if things turn out nice. Instead of taking off VFR and then having to duck around clouds, terrain and airspaces while filing a pop-up IFR.
Think back: while you were immersed in your dire situation, all around you were pilots who fly in that kind of weather all the time and think nothing of it. To them everything was normal; they had no idea that in your cockpit panic was at the threshold. Experience and training make all the difference in the world. Makes you think, doesn’t it? Tell us: when you found yourself suspended inside that virtual ping-pong ball and unable to see anything but white and water, did you ever feel like you couldn’t breathe and were about to drown?
You guys IFR rated ?
Sounds like it… and I really hope so.
During the time of this incident only the safety pilot was instrument rated. After this event I (Andrew) was very motivated to get my instrument rating and got it shortly after.
Turn around!