Non-manufacturer Checklist warning from FAA

[Mooneymite]

From AIN:

FAA Cautions on Commercial-off-the-shelf Checklists

The U.S. FAA is warning pilots of the potential risks of using either commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or personally developed checklists. The agency recently issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 17006), noting COTS or personal checklists might not contain all the pertinent information included in the manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook (POH) or airplane flight manual (AFM). This warning stems from an accident in which a pilot was unable to fully lower the aircraft’s landing gear. The pilot referred to a COTS checklist for the specific type of aircraft, but was only able to partially extend the landing gear. The gear collapsed on landing, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. An accident investigation revealed that the COTS checklist did not match the manufacturer’s checklist regarding landing gear failure and manual extension procedures, the FAA said. “The omission of steps within the COTS checklist significantly contributed to the pilot’s inability to fully extend the aircraft’s landing gear.” The list used by the pilot had also omitted a key caution statement regarding the landing gear, the agency added. The FAA is thus advising pilots using COTS or personally developed checklists to “meticulously compare them to the manufacturer’s checklist and placards contained in the POH/AFM to confirm they are consistent. This action will ensure the pilot has all pertinent manufacturer’s information during aircraft flight operations.”

[Marauder]

From AIN:

FAA Cautions on Commercial-off-the-shelf Checklists

The U.S. FAA is warning pilots of the potential risks of using either commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or personally developed checklists. The agency recently issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO 17006), noting COTS or personal checklists might not contain all the pertinent information included in the manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook (POH) or airplane flight manual (AFM). This warning stems from an accident in which a pilot was unable to fully lower the aircraft’s landing gear. The pilot referred to a COTS checklist for the specific type of aircraft, but was only able to partially extend the landing gear. The gear collapsed on landing, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. An accident investigation revealed that the COTS checklist did not match the manufacturer’s checklist regarding landing gear failure and manual extension procedures, the FAA said. “The omission of steps within the COTS checklist significantly contributed to the pilot’s inability to fully extend the aircraft’s landing gear.” The list used by the pilot had also omitted a key caution statement regarding the landing gear, the agency added. The FAA is thus advising pilots using COTS or personally developed checklists to “meticulously compare them to the manufacturer’s checklist and placards contained in the POH/AFM to confirm they are consistent. This action will ensure the pilot has all pertinent manufacturer’s information during aircraft flight operations.”

I wonder what was on (or not on) the commercially available checklist that led to this. I will admit, I have created my own checklists because my plane is highly modified from the factory configuration. That said, all of the emergency procedures are verbatim.


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[Mooneymite]

Yeah....I have my own checklist as well.  That's why I paid attention to the article.

My checklist is just for normal procedures.  For Abnormals, I would just use the POH, but there are only four abnormals in my POH.  

[Marauder]

Yeah....I have my own checklist as well.  That's why I paid attention to the article.
My checklist is just for normal procedures.  For Abnormals, I would just use the POH, but there are only four abnormals in my POH.  

There are 5 abnormal in my POH. The pilot is identified as the 5th abnormal one.


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[RobertGary1]

Funny because at one point the FAA encouraged pilots and operators to develop their own checklists.

-Robert

[Mooneymite]

1 minute ago, Marauder said:

 The pilot is identified as the 5th abnormal one.

Very appropriate since virtually every crash involves a pilot.  

[Mooneymite]

Years ago, there was an airline that used its own checklists.  After a fatal crash, the airline's checklist was mentioned as a contributing factor.  The monetary settlement was considerable.  After that, every checklist used was from the manufacturer, so there would be another set of deep pockets at the hearing.

[Skates97]

17 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

Funny because at one point the FAA encouraged pilots and operators to develop their own checklists.

-Robert

My checklists start with what is in the POH and then have some additions to them. I have also moved a couple steps around to fit the way my mind flows through the process.

The emergency ones are from the POH.

[201er]

I bet the number of accidents that have been prevented through convenient laminated, off the shelf checklists exceeds the number that was caused. If everyone had to hold their POH open every flight for checklists, many more people would skip it and there'd be more problems.

[jetdriven]

I especially despise the checklists that have the pilot switching fuel tanks immediately before takeoff or landing. 

[Hank]

2 hours ago, Skates97 said:

My checklists start with what is in the POH and then have some additions to them. I have also moved a couple steps around to fit the way my mind flows through the process.

The emergency ones are from the POH.

I'm impressed! The entire Emergency section in my 1970 Owners Manual is two pages (front and back of one sheet). I've posted it below in its entirety, it's not much of a section and certainly isn't a "checklist."

They are numbered beginning with 5-3 because it is from Section V, Emergency Procedures, and 5-1 is the title page and 5-2 is the (blank) Revision Log.

I love the instructions in case of fire . . . At least they put it first!   

[FloridaMan]

Pretty sure the checklists in the late model M20F POH's are longer than my entire pamphlet that counts as my operator's manual. 

[RobertGary1]

23 hours ago, Mooneymite said:

Years ago, there was an airline that used its own checklists.  After a fatal crash, the airline's checklist was mentioned as a contributing factor.  The monetary settlement was considerable.  After that, every checklist used was from the manufacturer, so there would be another set of deep pockets at the hearing.

If you ever listen to a 737 landing checklist run you'll be jealous. They've managed to widdle them down so they're shorter than what we have. Some of the newer GA planes have monsterously long checklists. It makes sense that a long checklist itself can lead to issues  

-Robert 

[AndyFromCB]

C ontrols

I instruments

G as/Gauges

A attitude

R unup/Radios

Never failed me before.

Always take off on the tank I landed on/started on.

I don't think I've pulled a checklist off the dashboard since 2001 other than for check rides. I have manuals memorized before I ever fly any aircraft where I'm expected to act as PIC. Manuals/checklists are for crews, SP operations require them to be in your head.

Edited April 28, 2017 by AndyFromCB

[Mooneymite]

42 minutes ago, RobertGary1 said:

If you ever listen to a 737 landing checklist run you'll be jealous. They've managed to widdle them down so they're shorter than what we have. Some of the newer GA planes have monsterously long checklists. It makes sense that a long checklist itself can lead to issues  

-Robert 

True, dat, Robert.  That seems to be the trend now...shorter checklists...particularly the ones that are used while the plane is in motion.  A lot of stuff that used to be on the taxi/takeoff checklists have been moved to the before start and after start checklists.  The thinking is that you don't need to be doing checklists when you're taxiing, or flying.  It's been years, but it seems like the last airliner I flew had three items on the before takeoff checklist(?).  Even that was too many!

EICAS and the "quiet, dark cockpit" have helped make checklists shorter.

Pilots used to have to remember long emergency/abnormal procedures.  Eventually, they figured out that when an emergency happens, everyone forgets the checklist items, or does the items out of sequence.  The jet I presently fly has almost no memory items which is a darn good thing since I have virtually no memory.  

We could all learn from the big boys and keep the moving-airplane checklist items short and sweet.  Do most of the stuff before the parking brake is released, or after back in the chocks.

[midlifeflyer]

I will say exactly what I said in another discussion on this:

Sad to see a SAFO is required to tell pilots who use "off the shelf" or "home brewed" checklists to take steps to make sure the procedures in them are correct for the specific airplane they are flying. Duh!

Btw, I've only been using home brewed checklist since I was a student pilot.

[Rick Junkin]

I learned to use a personal cockpit flow checklist in my initial training, and that has served me well for a lot of years in a number of different airplanes. I need a periodic review of the POH checklists for a refresher on the notes, cautions and warnings in both the normal and emergency procedures. I also make use of the checklist feature in Foreflight, which allows me to quickly confirm that I haven't missed anything, which is especially handy in a busy single pilot IFR cockpit where interruptions occur. It also keeps emergency/abnormal procedure checklists quite literally at my fingertips.

 

All that being said, I agree that simpler is better, and the CIGAR and GUMPFS checks will cover the essentials for takeoff and landing provided you've executed everything you're supposed to prior to each of those phases of flight.

 

As for the FAA official inputs, I think they are valid short of addressing the root issue, and that is familiarity and currency in the normal and abnormal operation of the systems on our airplanes. Which reminds me, I haven't "chair-flown" section 5 in awhile.

 

Cheers,

Rick

 

 

 

 

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[EricJ]

1 hour ago, AndyFromCB said:

C ontrols

I instruments

G as/Gauges

A attitude

R unup/Radios

Never failed me before.

Always take off on the tank I landed on/started on.

I don't think I've pulled a checklist off the dashboard since 2001 other than for check rides. I have manuals memorized before I ever fly any aircraft where I'm expected to act as PIC. Manuals/checklists are for crews, SP operations require them to be in your head.

I learned:  CIFFTRS:

Controls

Instruments - AI, DG, Altimeter double check, vacuum, etc.

Fuel -  double check quantity, selected tank, pump on.

Flaps - takeoff setting

Trim - Takeoff setting (and I also use this as "Trim, Transponder", to make sure the Transponder is on ALT).

Runup 

Seatbelts

I use this as a double check while holding short, mostly to make sure all of those things have been done as I should have been through the laminated checklist before I got to that point.  I consider it "successful" if I find everything was ready and "doubly successful" if I catch something I missed.   Win-win!

I finished my tailwheel endorsement in a Super Cub a couple of weeks ago, and that FBO keeps the laminated checklist velcroed to the wall just in front of the throttle.   It wasn't a long pre-takeoff checklist, but it wasn't short, either.   It did have "door" on it, which was good because I kept forgetting to close the door otherwise and they want the door and window closed so you can hear the instructor better.   Even on a simple airplane like that it was useful to me to be consistent with the checklist.   It just takes forgetting one stupid thing to make your experience a lot less stellar than it would be otherwise, so using a MFG/POH checklist with personal or custom additions for new equipment or whatever doesn't seem like a burden to me at all.

 

[RobertGary1]

25 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I finished my tailwheel endorsement in a Super Cub a couple of weeks ago, and that FBO keeps the laminated checklist velcroed to the wall just in front of the throttle.   It wasn't a long pre-takeoff checklist, but it wasn't short, either.   It did have "door" on it, which was good because I kept forgetting to close the door otherwise and they want the door and window closed so you can hear the instructor better.   Even on a simple airplane like that it was useful to me to be consistent with the checklist.   It just takes forgetting one stupid thing to make your experience a lot less stellar than it would be otherwise, so using a MFG/POH checklist with personal or custom additions for new equipment or whatever doesn't seem like a burden to me at all.

 

Fun. I did my private pilot in a Cessna 140 before getting an Aeronca Chief. But I did my commercial sea plane training in the super cub. Logged a bunch of J-3 time too but really it was a pale comparison to the Aeronca Chief. 

-Robert