What have you done?

[Dan Wilson]

The thread hijack talking about zero flap takeoffs got me to thinking this would make a good thread.

What is the most Embarrassing/Stupid/I should be dead/just plain boneheaded thing you have done in your career with the Herk?

I would have to say my most "oh shit" moment was back in 86, I was in the 7th ACCS and we had just finished our ORI (or whatever TAC called them) and we were taking the TAC IG team back to Langley.

Well once we landed at Langley we called tower for a progressive to parking, the response was "Mopup 71, uh we dont see you, as a matter of fact your not on our airdrome".

Talk about the cold flush dropping from your head to your gut, the next question we had to ask was "Langley Ground, uh where are we then" he responded "were checking".

As it turned out we had actually landed at Navy Norfolk, so now the Navy guys (who were also in the midst of an operational inspection) had to turn up the lights so this mystery bird could take off (wondered why all those helo's were taxiing around blacked out and taxiway lights off).

It was a real asstear from beginning to end once we finally landed at Langley, lets say the powers to be were not very happy

[DC10FE]

OK, here goes.

When I was flying for St. Lucia Airways, we were departing Miami International for somewhere south. We were at least number 20 for takeoff on runway 9, so the captain decided to shut down the inboards. As we slowly got closer to the runway, we began to start up the inboards. We got rotation on #2 but no light-off. No problem -- we were empty, so we'd just do a 3-engine take off. When we tried to start #3, same problem; rotation, but no ignition. The FO called the tower and told them we had a problem and had to go back to the cargo ramp. As we were taxiing back on the runway, I looked down and got one of those mini-anxiety attacks. I then suggested we try again, only this time with the condition levers in run, not ground stop. Fortunately, an Arrow Air DC-8 told the tower we could get back in line in front of him.

I got a lot more, including the unintentional no-flap takeoff, but this is the most embarrassing.

Don R.

[Skip Davenport]

Scary but true. When I was a young AC we were tasked into a uncontrolled strip in the Philippines to pick up a 12,000# portable TACAN unit that was being trucked down from the mountain top. NOTAMS stated that the 5,000 ft runway was being extended to 9,600 ft and to monitor a Wx radio frequency on the field.

Off we go. Getting close we make a in the blind radio call on the Wx freq. and get a reply from a Filipino voice stating 500 meters, 500 meters. The Wx was clear blue skies with just some scattered puffy clouds. Wondering what the hell he was talking about we continue inbound for a random steep approach.

I called for flaps 50 gear down -- response flaps 50 gear down -- three green -- on final I called for flaps 100 and continued slowing to Max Effort speed. Touching down 50 ft from the end of the runway I went into full reverse and started breaking. The runway was domed. We crested I saw the end of the runway a LOT closer than expected. I looked at the FE and he just slumped his shoulders (as to say everything is working) I pushed harder on the brakes and you could feel the anti skid cycling. We stopped with the nose in the gravel over run. Turning around and completing the Tactical engine shut down checklist (cuffing a prop). I looked down and saw that the CP hadn't moved the flaps switch to 100! when a young Filipino on a bicycle smiling ear to ear yelling 500 meters, 500 meters no think can land big airplane on only 500 meters! road up.

As it turned out we were tasked into the wrong airport and during the runway construction they dumped the dirt from the runway extension onto good runway! This the runway being ONLY 500 meters. We spent the next 8 hrs with the engines running to burn down enough fuel to take off and did NOT take the TACAN!

After that landing I developed a habit of touching the flap lever and gear handle every time they are called for!

[cfisher]

FLAPS UP

Once while flying in Vietnam We got a call to go to a place i never heard of. Our troops were being over run. when we got ther we couldn't make radio contact so we made a call in the blind and landed. After we landed i seen the bambo tower was blownup. Mortors were hiting about 150 yards be hind us . The load open the ramp and door and the troops came runing on till we were full and we took off. There were tall trees at the end of the run way as we got close to the end of the run way the pucker factor went way up we didn't clear the trees by much. The co polit started reading the after take ck list when he came to flaps up guees what they were up.