Episode 76: Eerie Encounter

Episode 76: Eerie Encounter

Author: AOPA Air Safety Institute October 22, 2024 Duration: 30:33
GA pilot Claudia Gibson recalls a flight on a late October night in Indiana, during her student pilot days. While on an extensive night training flight with multiple stops, Claudia and her instructor have an eerie encounter in the form of an unwanted guest on the runway.

Imagine pulling up a chair in a virtual hangar, surrounded by pilots swapping their most gripping stories. That’s the feeling at the heart of "There I was..." An Aviation Podcast. Produced by the AOPA Air Safety Institute, each episode is a direct flight into real-world cockpit experiences, where seasoned aviators recount moments when weather, mechanics, or sheer chance threw them a curveball. You’ll hear the subtle tension in their voices as they describe navigating a sudden system failure or an unforecast storm, followed by the clear-headed decisions that led to a safe landing. This isn’t about sensationalism; it’s about the nuanced application of skill and training under pressure. The entire podcast is built on aviation’s rich tradition of “hangar flying”-that invaluable, informal passing of wisdom from one pilot to another. By listening, you gain access to a collective library of hard-won lessons, a resource that deepens your understanding of what it truly means to fly safely. Whether you’re a student pilot, a seasoned captain, or simply fascinated by the realities of flight, these narratives offer a profound and practical education, one compelling story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 95

"There I was..." An Aviation Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Episode 73: Icing in an RV [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:19
Climbing through 6,000 feet after departing Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, pilot and aircraft builder Steve Gross encounters severe icing in his RV-9. With his indicated airspeed falling to 60 knots and his climb…
Episode 72: Laser Strike [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:34
GA pilot Jonathan Fay experiences a laser strike while in the traffic pattern for a night landing. He tells the story of what happened, and how he was able to track down the perpetrator afterward.
Episode 71: Engine Failure at Night [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:50
On a night flight to Grand Strand Airport in Myrtle Beach, SC, pilot Greg Duckworth experiences an engine failure in his Rutan Long-EZ. With a sea of city lights below, Greg must resort to quick thinking and help from AT…
Episode 70: Ferry Flight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:53
AOPA Western Pacific Regional Manager Jared Yoshiki recounts the story of purchasing his first airplane - a Cherokee 180. While ferrying it from Indiana to his home airport in California, things went awry.
Episode 69: Unexpected Fuel Consumption [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:45
CFI Bill Tomkovic takes a Cessna 172 flight for the purpose of breaking in a new engine. In an effort to complete the break-in faster, Bill opts to fly longer than he originally intended. Unfortunately, the airplane’s fu…
Episode 68: Engine Failure in the Pattern [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:03
Student pilot Bradley Riedle was performing touch and goes with his instructor when they experienced an engine failure in their Cherokee 140. Bradley discusses the aftermath of the event, including a hard landing that re…
Episode 67: Stabilator Malfunction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:20
Retired airline captain and designated pilot examiner John Blum tells the story of giving a multiengine checkride in a Piper Seneca, when a loud bang from the tail section of the aircraft derailed the flight.
Episode 66: Trouble at Mile Hi - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:58
In part 2 of this 2-part episode, we hear the continuation of a story from a backcountry pilot who was involved in an aircraft accident at Mile Hi airstrip in Idaho. The pilot explains the aftermath of the accident in de…
Episode 65: Trouble at Mile Hi - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:24
In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we hear from a backcountry pilot who flew his Carbon Cub into Mile Hi airstrip in Idaho, and upon touchdown realized he was not decelerating as planned.
A Tribute to Richard McSpadden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:39
A message to our listeners regarding the tragic loss of our host, Richard McSpadden, and an update on the future of the "There I was..." podcast.