June 16th is a day I have dreaded the past three years. It is the anniversary of my off-field landing from an engine failure. Initially, I thought it was a day I didn't want to remember. However, that is not feasible. This event shaped me as a person and as a pilot. I learned a lot and it is important to focus on the good that comes out of a less than ideal event.
Lesson One: I am a more vigilant pilot now.
I am not saying I was careless prior to my engine failure, however, complacency can be deadly. Having a smooth sailing flight is the goal and occurs the majority of the time. However, it can cause a pilot to become complacent and acquire the view that "an emergency will never happen to me". At just 28 hours total time, I had the realization that it 100% can happen to me. I have learned to stay on my toes and accept that anything can happen at any phase of flight.
Lesson Two: Briefing emergency procedures is critical.
From day one, a student pilot is taught to brief emergency procedures prior to takeoff. This is crucial. In an emergency, you will fly the airplane exactly how you brief it. Emergency procedures are boldface items. It is important to have the procedures memorized. In some emergencies, there isn't enough time to flip through a checklist and go through each step deliberately. Briefing the procedures is just as important as having the procedures memorized. In my instance, I didn't have time to flip through my checklist. However, I knew the boldface.
Lesson Three: Processing the situation really does take up time.
Throughout my flight training and schooling, the role of human factors on pilots has been a focal point. In an emergency, human factors need to be considered. Processing an emergency can catch any pilot off guard. It takes a moment to accept that there really is a problem and that you need to act. Practicing emergencies is important to help decrease the time it takes to process the situation.
Lesson Four: June 16th isn't a day I want to forget.
Having an engine failure on your first solo cross country flight can and will cause trauma in some capacity. It was to the point where I didn't want to accept or even remember it. I didn't take photos from that day because I didn't want to look back on it. It is safe to say I was wrong. In the end, I became a more vigilant pilot and learned how to overcome this bump in my journey. It shaped me as a pilot and I am thankful for that.