The One Hour That Could Save Your Life: Understanding Dangerous Approaches

By Tushar Gupta | 6PistonsMedia

Most fatal accidents in aviation don’t happen enroute. They occur when you’re almost home; On Final approach, low and slow, fatigued and sometimes behind schedule. That’s when the machine is closest to the ground and the pilot is closest to making a bad decision.

Even skilled pilots get caught out by unstable approaches, particularly at tough airfields or in poor weather.

This isn’t theory, it is cold reality. And every hour you spend sharpening your ability to recognize and reject a dangerous approach could be the one that saves your life.

Let’s break it down.

What Makes an Approach Dangerous?

It’s not always the runway, the weather or the aircraft.
It’s the combination of all those and your mindset.

Here are the big red flags:

1. Unstable Approach

You’re high, fast, or both. Or worse, low and dragging power.
No checklist complete, no landing clearance, speed’s swinging.
You’re “trying to salvage it.”

That word salvage should be a trigger. If you're salvaging, you’re not flying.
It's time to go around.

2. Late Configuration

Gear down late, flaps thrown in the last 500 feet, speed brakes out.
Why? Because you didn’t plan the descent profile. Maybe ATC kept you high or you were too focused on the terrain.

Doesn’t matter. If you're rushing the configuration below 500 feet, you’re compressing your mental bandwidth. That’s when things spiral.

3. Standard vs Non-Standard Descent Profiles

Comparison between a standard CDFA and a non-standard "Dive and Drive" approach; Source: Code 7700

At most airports, approaches are built around a 3-degree glidepath. It's predictable, stable, and gentle. You intercept it, stay on the slope, and the airplane does what it’s meant to do.

But non-standard profiles throw that out the window. You might be descending at 4, 5, or even 6 degrees to make it into a mountain-surrounded runway or one with terrain off the final.

This means higher descent rates, more pitch changes, and less time to correct errors. If you're not ahead of the airplane, you’re behind the curve.

4. Visual Illusions

Wide runways lie. Narrow ones do too. Trust your instruments, not your eyes; Source: Learn to fly blog.

Approaching over rising terrain? Your eyes might tell you you’re too high, even when you’re on a slope.
Runway width illusion : A narrower-than-usual runway can create an illusion that the aircraft is higher than it is, leading to a lower approach.

A wider-than-usual runway can create an illusion that the aircraft is lower than it is, leading to a higher approach.

Runway Slope Illusion : A downsloping runway can make the aircraft appear lower than it is, often causing pilots to fly a higher-than-normal approach.
Conversely, an upsloping runway can make you feel higher, prompting a lower, riskier approach.
Sloping terrain also distorts depth perception, making it harder to judge flare height, especially in poor visibility or at night.

These illusions don’t just affect students. They trick Commanders too, especially when tired or unfamiliar.

Non-standard runway slopes, where your eyes lie, your instincts argue, and only your training keeps you on profile; Source: Learn to fly blog.

5. Mental Traps

You’ve briefed this approach. You’re cleared. You’ve told the tower you’re “landing" but you haven’t landed until you’ve landed; Safe, on-speed, and in control. Until then, it’s still a decision in progress. Just because you’re cleared to land doesn’t mean you have to.

A go-around might cost you fuel, time, or a few extra lines in a report. But not going around when you should, can cost you everything.
Many pilots hesitate because of paperwork, formalities, or the fear of being questioned.
But ATC, fuel bills, and post-flight reports aren't flying the aircraft. You are.
If something feels off on approach, forget the admin. Fly the airplane, Go around.

Mental traps such as the following often lead to poor outcomes:

• “We’re so close, might as well continue.”
• “If we go around now, we’ll burn fuel and mess up the schedule.”
• “This airport doesn’t have good go-around options.”

Opting for a go-around is not a sign of weakness, it’s a hallmark of professionalism.

A Simple Rule of Thumb: The “One-Minute Mental Reset”

At 1,000 feet AGL, ask yourself:

• Am I stable? (Speed, configuration, power, descent rate, aligned)
• Can I land in the Touchdown Zone without excessive manoeuvring?
• Do I feel composed and in command?

If the answer to any of these is no, initiate a go-around.
No second-guessing, no delay.

Special Cases: Marginal Airfields

Moments before touchdown at Lukla, Nepal, the world’s most notorious mountain strip; Image Credit: Little Leaf Photography NZ

Flying into short, sloped, or non-instrument runways? Then this matters even more.

In these environments:

• The terrain often prevents standard descent profiles.
• Visual illusions are common.
• Go-around options may be limited but not impossible.

Know the terrain, the winds and your personal minimums.

Real-World Example: Paro Airport, Bhutan

An Airbus A320 threads through the Himalayan valley on final approach into Paro, Bhutan where terrain, non-standard profiles, and zero room for error define every descent. Image source: Great Tibet Tour

This airport separates the truly sharp pilots from the rest.

Paro is nestled in a narrow valley surrounded by 18,000-foot peaks.
There’s no ILS. No room for error. Only a handful of pilots are certified to land here.
To make the approach, you snake through the hills, often using steep turns and an unorthodox visual profile. You’re descending aggressively, using landmarks rather than glideslopes, and hand-flying the final segment.

At Paro, you don’t get a second chance. If you haven’t committed fully to managing the approach and abort decision ahead of time, you shouldn’t be attempting it.

It’s a masterclass in understanding risk and respecting it.

Bottom Line: Train Your Go-Around Muscle

The go-around isn’t the backup, it’s the baseline. Landing is what happens when everything lines up. We survive by knowing when not to land.

Make the go-around not just an option, but a mindset. Brief it, normalize it, practice it.

Because one hour spent understanding the anatomy of a bad approach could save you from a decision you can’t undo.

If you're a student pilot, airline aspirant, or current line pilot, make it a habit to review your last three approaches. Were they truly stable? If not, why?

Your life might one day depend on that answer.

Thumbnail credit: Fodors Travel Guide