Takeoffs are Optional (May 2025)

In this episode of “Never Again,” a young instrument-rated pilot sets out for a cozy Thanksgiving with family only to find himself racing a fast-moving winter system across the Midwest. But when one airport after another unexpectedly closes in blowing snow, his carefully crafted plans evaporate. With fuel dwindling, visibility collapsing, and the squall line tightening around him, he’s forced to improvise a plan B… then C… then D… until he’s running out of sky, daylight, and options.

In this episode of “Never Again”, a regional airline captain takes off from Cordova, Alaska, expecting just another routine hop in his Beechcraft 1900. But as the aircraft climbs into the clouds, ice begins to build—and keeps building. With performance fading, visibility gone, and mountains rising below, the crew fights to keep the airplane flying long enough to break through the top of the storm.

In this episode of “Never Again,” a Cessna test pilot jumps at the chance to fly the very first production model of a brand-new twin. But in his rush to get airborne, he skips the weather briefing—and soon finds himself facing both a fast-moving line of thunderstorms and a landing gear that refuses to extend.

In this episode of “Never Again,” a student glider pilot faces her first solo in the unpredictable winds of Colorado’s Front Range. What began as a calm winter morning quickly spiraled into a test of skill, instinct, and resilience.

In this episode of “Never Again”, a pilot recounts a humbling experience that highlights the dangers of complacency in aviation — even on a short, familiar flight.

In this episode of “Never Again”, a distraction and get-there-itis combine to create a near-miss for a Skyhawk pilot under pressure.

In this episode of “Never Again,” a routine flight from Montana to Washington turns treacherous when a pilot experiences a sudden engine failure after encountering severe icing conditions.

In this episode of "Never Again", pilot James Ott recounts a harrowing near-disaster during a short takeoff from a challenging airstrip. With just 120 hours of flying experience, Ott experiences a critical engine failure at 60 feet of altitude due to an improperly set fuel selector.

In this "Never Again" episode, a 21-year-old instrument rated multi-engine commercial pilot shares his harrowing experience of a sudden engine failure during a spring break trip from Kansas to Florida in a Cessna 182. Just three miles from his destination, the engine catastrophically failed, forcing him to execute an emergency landing at Panama City Airport (ECP). For questions or comments about this podcast, email [email protected] Send us your Never Again and we may publish it in an issue of AOPA Pilot and share it on this podcast. Email [email protected].

For questions or comments about this podcast, email [email protected] Send us your Never Again and we may publish it in an issue of AOPA Pilot and share it on this podcast. Email [email protected].