Somatogravic illusion (SGI) is a stealthy killer. It reveals itself in seemingly unrelated ways and can sneak up and kill you before you know what happened.
Here are some different accident types in which SGI apparently reared its ugly head:
How Somatogravic Illusion Kills Pilots
Deadly deception reveals itself in seemingly unrelated ways and can sneak up before you know what happened.
Key Takeaways:
- Somatogravic illusion (SGI) is a dangerous sensory misperception where pilots accelerating in low or no visual conditions (darkness, clouds) falsely sense a severe nose-up pitch.
- This illusion leads pilots to push the aircraft's nose down, often resulting in fatal accidents due to controlled flight into terrain or water.
- SGI commonly occurs during takeoffs in dark or low-visibility conditions and during the initial acceleration phase of a missed approach.
- To prevent SGI-induced accidents, pilots must ignore physical sensations and rigorously trust and refer to their flight instruments to maintain the correct pitch and climb attitude.
Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->
See a mistake? Contact us.
