A Mooney Pilot’s Night IFR Wake-Up Call with Bob Hamilton

On a winter night IFR flight home in his Mooney, fatigue, hunger, and deteriorating weather quietly stacked the odds against pilot Bob Hamilton. As ceilings dropped, icing threatened, and options disappeared, Bob was forced to confront a chain of decisions that led to one of the most intense moments of his flying career—saying “unable” to ATC and trusting his judgment to get the airplane safely on the ground. In this candid conversation, Bob reflects on what went wrong, what he learned, and how that fateful night reshaped his approach to IMSAFE, personal minimums, and risk management.

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Show Links:

• I Am UNSAFE Checklist—Lessons Learned on a Fateful Night
• More Stories from Bob Hamilton

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Air Facts Staff

Air Facts began in 1938 with Leighton Collins’ vision to promote private air transportation. Today, as an online journal, Air Facts brings pilots together by sharing real-world flying experiences that inspire learning, good judgment, and a love of flying.

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