There I Was...

Warbird pilot and former aircraft racer John “Pappy” Mazza shares an engine failure experience while flying a Grumman FM-2 Wildcat.

Longtime GA pilot, warbird trainer and DPE Doug Rozendaal tells us a story about piloting a Beech 18 during his years of flying freight, when he experienced an electrical failure at night in low IMC.

In this episode, we talk to GA pilot Kelly Keller, who was flying back from a fishing resort in Arkansas with her husband while 7 months pregnant when she experienced an engine failure in a Cessna 172.

GA pilot and Cirrus Training Center Instructor Terry Pretzloff tells us about a flight from Chicago Midway to Rochester, Minnesota in a Cirrus SR22. Despite thorough preflight planning, Terry encountered hazardous icing conditions worse than forecast, and he shares with us how he took action to get on the ground safely.

Helicopter pilot Dennis Martin joins us to talk about an incident he had after departing the AOPA Fly-In at Carbondale, IL in 2018. While flying his Enstrom 480B from Carbondale to Chicago Executive Airport, Dennis experienced deteriorating weather conditions and found himself in half-mile visibility.

Master Certified Flight Instructor, DPE and general aviation icon Doug Stewart joins us to talk about an incident he had in a 1974 Cessna Cardinal at a small New Hampshire airport. While departing the 1,900 foot strip, Doug experienced a loss of power following takeoff, with trees at the end of the runway quickly approaching.

In this episode we talk to Todd Clark, a 700-hour pilot based in beautiful Kalispell, MT. Todd experienced a gear-up landing in his Mooney M20J, and he joins us to talk about the day’s events that led up to the incident.

Join us as we talk to Mirek Fatyga, a commercial-rated pilot based in Phoenix, AZ. Mirek tells the story of piloting a Tecnam light sport aircraft at night, when he flew through a tree while on approach to land at an airport near Richmond, VA.

In this episode, we chat with longtime GA pilot Loren Kopseng. Loren experienced an alarming bird strike at night while flying his Aviat Husky out of North Dakota, and he joins us to tell the story. To see photos from Loren's incident, click here.

If you've called AOPA’s Pilot Information Center, you’ll recognize this episode's guest: pilot and AOPA employee Jon Gandy. As an Aviation Technical Specialist from the PIC, Jon brings a wealth of knowledge, and shares a story in which he experienced a partial engine failure in a PA-31 Piper Navajo, which created a distraction and caused an inadvertent gear-up landing.

VFR into IMC continues to be a leading cause of fatal accidents in general aviation. In this episode, we talk to a pilot who was fortunate enough to escape from this highly dangerous scenario. Robert Clark recounts the story of flying his Dyke Delta aircraft through unexpected instrument conditions - at night, during an electrical failure.

Over the past 33 years of flying - including aerobatics in the P-51 Mustang, T-6 Texan, Japanese Zero, and F4U Corsair - pilot Mark Murphy has accumulated his share of stories. He joins us to talk about one such story - an unexpected flat spin in a Christen Eagle.

Join us for a special episode as we chat with actor, comedian, screenwriter and general aviation pilot Thomas Middleditch about his flying adventures, including a time where a trip to Monument Valley (UT25) didn’t go as planned. To see the video version of this podcast, click here.

Not many pilots have survived a midair collision. Gabrielle Palmas experienced one in 2012, while working on her instrument rating. Now, years later, as second-in-command on a Lear 60, she joins us to tell her story.

GA pilot Jeff King shares the story of a 2009 incident in which he experienced an engine failure in his Cherokee Six, and made a forced landing in a nearby Walmart parking lot. To see video and photos from Jeff's incident, click here.

In this episode, we hear an incredible survival story from Chuck Cook, T-28 warbird pilot. In the summer of 2018, shortly after a warning light in the cockpit caused him to separate from a formation flight and head back to his home airport, Chuck experienced thick billowing smoke and a fire in the cockpit of his T-28. Chuck crash-landed the airplane near the runway threshold and managed to escape from the burning wreckage with his life. Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of burn injuries. Listener discretion is advised.

Join us as we talk to Greg Soter, a long-time GA pilot based in Utah. In 2013, Greg was flying a Cessna 172 for a company testing radar gear, when the equipment caught fire in the backseat and forced Greg to make an emergency landing off-airport.

We’re delighted to welcome back our inaugural podcast guest - Patty Wagstaff. Patty returns to tell about an incident in September of 2019, in which she and a fellow pilot experienced a runway excursion in Patty’s V-tail Bonanza.

In this episode, we talk to aerobatic airshow performer and Living Legends of Aviation member Julie Clark. Against the backdrop of a distinguished career and her retirement in 2019, Julie shares some interesting experiences and lessons she’s learned over more than 40 years as a solo aerobatic pilot.

Join us as we chat with Devin Miller, GA pilot and creator behind the Youtube channel, Family Pilot. Devin shares the story of a recent flight with his wife and children in a Piper Arrow, in which his throttle cable breaks and leaves the engine stuck at full throttle. To see Devin’s Youtube video of the incident, click here.