scud run

scud run (third-person singular simple present scud runs, present participle scud running, simple past and past participle scud ran)

1. (aviation) To fly below the bases of low clouds and close to the ground in an attempt to maintain external visual reference in weather ordinarily considered too poor for visual flying.

   When the weather worsened, the pilot elected to scud run—attempt to maintain visual contact with the ground in poor weather conditions while avoiding physical contact with it—and flew into a hill three miles past the end of the runway. His whole immediate family was riding with him, no survivors. I wisely elected to wait until conditions improved.