Cockpit Stress

Knowing of the low overcast, if that pilots autopilot had this auto-capture feature, his motivation would have been to ease his workload and obviate spatial disorientation during transition into the clag. The effect of his action would have been to capture the airport elevation as target altitude. The TruTrak, at least, takes a few seconds to process and implement settings, so that the airplane would be expected to do exactly what it did: ascend into the clouds and a few seconds later return to the preset target altitude of the runway.

Editorial Staff

Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots must exercise extreme caution with autopilots during low-visibility takeoffs, as inadvertent settings (e.g., capturing runway altitude) can lead to a crash instead of a positive climb.
Poor pilot decision-making, inadequate preflight planning, and disregard for safety protocols can have fatal consequences, emphasizing the high level of responsibility pilots hold for their actions and passengers.
Effective handling of in-flight emergencies, such as landing gear malfunctions or inadvertent flight into IMC, requires thorough systems knowledge, methodical checklist adherence, and well-rehearsed procedures.

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I very much appreciated Key Dismukes’ well-written and beautifully laid-out article on stress and its pragmatic advice on currency and emergency rehearsal (“Stress In The Cockpit,” May). And the sidebar, “Automation Bites Back,” in David Jack Kenny’s article, “Lessons Not Learned” in the same issue reminded me of an accident summary that I read a year or two ago:

On a foggy morning in Florida, a pilot took off from a private strip into the murk. After entering the low ceiling, the aircraft steadily descended to the crash site. Ignoring the fact that taking off in such conditions was stupid and illegal, it’s interesting to contemplate the possible mechanisms.