Downwind Landings
Straight downwind landings by mistake. Pilot fatigue leads to flight errors. Misread wind indicators or tower instructions.
(more serious)
Landing downwind, when you think you're landing upwind, leads to confusion.
You approach the runway through the air at 75 mph and, at the same time drifting with the air at 20 mph. Since the two motions are both in the same direction the plane's speed, relative to the ground, is 95 mph.
You sense the altitude above the runway, when landing, from visual clues. The speed of the runway surface and/or the speed of runway lights in his field of vision provide that information. You think you're close to the runway from your experience when landing upwind. You don't think you're in any danger from stalling and begin to slow the plane up preparing to touch down momentarily.
You just fell into a dangerous visual illusion. It is true the plane has plenty of speed and speed is what keeps a plane from stalling. What you forgot, because of the illusion, it is the speed of your plane through the air that is important. Thats the speed your plane's wing is pushing through the air. That speed is 75 mph.
Of your 95 mph that you think you are going only 75 mph is actually going through the air.
The apparent relative speed of your plane to the ground, 95 mph, gives you illusion that your plane is closer to the runway. In fact, your plane is higher than the visual clues that you mistakenly used to determine the altitude of your plane.
Since you are tired and you think you are landing upwind, you may instead be close to a stall as you slow your plane down for a landing while still high above the runway.
Of your 95 mph that you think you are going only 75 mph is actually going through the air.
The apparent relative speed of your plane to the ground, 95 mph, gives you illusion that your plane is closer to the runway. In fact, your plane is higher than the visual clues that you mistakenly used to determine the altitude of your plane.
Since you are tired and you think you are landing upwind, you may instead be close to a stall as you slow your plane down for a landing while still high above the runway.
If you discover your mistake in time you may, depending on actual altitude above the runway, lower your plane's nose, give immediate power application, recover from the stall and think things through before you attempt another approach.
Too many pilots don't get a second chance.
Too many pilots don't get a second chance.
