AOPA Never Again

AOPA presents the "Never Again" series in AOPA Pilot magazine and online to allow pilots to learn from the experiences of others.

Leisure
Hobbies
Aviation
51
Multiplying risks (December 2019)
Accepting a number of seemingly minor risks endangers a Cherokee pilot and his family. (By John Parker)
11 min
52
I do declare (November 2019)
 A Cessna twin pilot applies what he learned in an engine-out emergency to another engine-out emergency. (By Pierre Wildman) 
6 min
53
Say again (October 2019)
A 172 pilot calls tower and receives an instruction that's completely Greek to him. Of course he is flying in Greece. (By Carl Dworman)
6 min
54
Choosing between bad and worse (September 2019)
You're flying over the desert and your engine quits. How do you decide which tiny little butte you want to land on? (By Richard Snider) 
8 min
55
Rough passage (August 2019)
Engine trouble above a solid overcast with known icing. That's not good. (By Jose G. Riera)
8 min
56
A monumental mistake (July 2019)
Sightseeing pilots in a dream destination are seduced by scenic grandeur into making a flight they would regret. (By Alan Cockrell) 
11 min
57
Stuck controls (June 2019)
Halfway through an Immelman is not a great time to lose aileron and elevator control. Good thing the regulations require a parachute, but will the pilot need it? (By David Werdeger)
8 min
58
Wild Card (April 2019)
We're all set to take our instrument checkride...or are we? Funny how little things can go unnoticed. (By Karen Atkins)
5 min
59
A Precarious U-Turn
 Operating in the Los Angeles VFR corridor seems safe enough, at least until the weather conspires against you. By Steven Mark Sachs.
9 min
60
Jumpers Away (January 2019)
Your engine dies because there's a parachute wrapped around the propeller. Find out how this happens. (By David Hensley) 
7 min
61
Routine Takeoff (December 2018)
When a Remos pilot has a partial engine failure on takeoff, the response seems less clear. What would you do? (By Jeff Durante) 
7 min
62
Change of Plans (November 2018)
An IFR flight in central Europe makes an American pilot long for the good old FAA. By Robert Tompkins. 
9 min
63
A New Low (October 2018)
While testing a novel piece of avionics, two pilots unknowingly become test pilots. By Stephen Davies
9 min
64
Soul Searching (September 2018)
A Meridian pilot learns the true purpose of training, and any pilot at any time is capable of making a mistake that leads to a dangerous situation. By John Smith. 
9 min
65
When to Fold 'Em (August 2018)
Most pilots would agree that gambling with an airplane is a bad idea. See how one pilot found this out. By Donald Burkley. 
9 min
66
Heading which way? (July 2018)
Have you ever declared an emergency? Have you ever considered it? Ride along in instrument weather with a failed HSI. By Austin Kallemeyn. 
8 min
67
Open canopy (June 2018)
Flying a Cheetah with the canopy open sounds pretty cool--so long as you've read the handbook. By Martin T. Murat
6 min
68
Into the Darkness (May 2018)
There's darkness, and then there's middle-of-nowhere darkness. Add in a low cloud base and you've got the recipe for an uncomfortable flight. By Tom Haack.
6 min
69
Moose meat mayhem (April 2018)
Flight safety is compromised by a moose carcass. (By Mark Owen) 
8 min
70
Smoke On (March 2018)
An oft-practiced landing technique pays big dividends in the real world when smoke fills the cockpit and the engine self-destructs. 
6 min
71
Dancing with the Devil (February 2018)
A Centurion pilot ices up over the mountains and hears two voices in his head. Find out which one he listens to. (By Joe Brinck) 
8 min
72
Cloud on the Runway (January 2018)
 A Civil Air Patrol pilot on an Angel Flight mission realizes the importance of patience when he finds himself nose to nose with another aircraft at 100 feet off the deck. By Dale Brown. 
6 min
73
Lights out (December 2017)
 When the runway lights go out at night while you're enjoying an electrical failure, decisions have to be made--and quickly. By Gary Souder. 
5 min
74
Ninety-Degree Turn on Takeoff (November 2017)
A sod farm makes a fine landing field until it's harvested. Prepare for a bumpy arrival in "Ninety-Degree Turn on Takeoff" by Tom Haack. 
8 min
75
Undone by a no-brainer (October 2017)
On a 10-minute VFR trip, a Cessna Skylane pilot wanders into unforecast IMC. What to do? By Peter Boody. 
8 min