Out Of Control?

The FAA, NTSB and the aviation community have spent a lot of time and effort analyzing how and why pilots lose control of their aircraft, historically the leading cause of fatal general aviation accidents. A recent report by the FAA/industry General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC-see the sidebar on the opposite page), closely looked at the reasons why, highlighting dozens of recommended mitigations to reduce loss-of-control (LOC) accidents. Many of its recommendations have great value.

Editorial Staff

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Loss of Control (LOC) is the leading cause of fatal general aviation accidents, with current mitigation efforts often addressing only the final links in the accident chain.
The author argues that NTSB accident data frequently overlooks the real root cause of LOC incidents, which is identified as poor risk management.
A more effective strategy to prevent LOC accidents involves integrating comprehensive risk management knowledge and skills into all levels of pilot training and continuous pilot practices.

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The FAA, NTSB and the aviation community have spent a lot of time and effort analyzing how and why pilots lose control of their aircraft, historically the leading cause of fatal general aviation accidents. A recent report by the FAA/industry General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GAJSC—see the sidebar on the opposite page), closely looked at the reasons why, highlighting dozens of recommended mitigations to reduce loss-of-control (LOC) accidents. Many of its recommendations have great value.