Loss of Control

Loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) is the leading killer in GA, with more fatal accidents than the next six causes combined. The Colgan 3407 and Air France 447 crashes brought LOC-I to the forefront. Were forced to ask how we can lose control of perfectly good airplanes. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics identified LOC-I as the most significant cause of commercial aviation fatalities worldwide.

jmiller

Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Loss of Control In-flight (LOC-I) is the leading cause of fatal accidents in General Aviation (GA), with most incidents stemming from pilot-induced aircraft upsets.
To prevent LOC-I, pilots should use Flight Risk Assessment Tools (FRATs) for pre-flight decision-making and apply Threat and Error Management (TEM) strategies, including robust procedures and checklists, to mitigate risks during flight.
Ongoing research and future training focus on addressing attention failures, improving information processing, and mitigating the startle effect, underscoring the importance of pilots practicing upset and stall recovery skills until they are instinctive.

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Loss of control in-flight (LOC-I) is the leading killer in GA, with more fatal accidents than the next six causes combined. The Colgan 3407 and Air France 447 crashes brought LOC-I to the forefront. We’re forced to ask how we can lose control of perfectly good airplanes. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics identified LOC-I as “the most significant cause of commercial aviation fatalities worldwide.”

General aviation statistics mirror the grim commercial numbers. Preventing LOC-I in GA has been one of the NTSB’s most wanted safety improvements for 2015. Last fall, the agency hosted a symposium to share information and explore ways to mitigate the risk.