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, frequently originating from "aircraft upset" when pilots unintentionally exceed normal flight parameters.
Pilots can mitigate LOC-I risk by using Flight Risk Assessment Tools (FRATs) for pre-flight decision-making and implementing Threat and Error Management (TEM) systems, emphasizing procedures and checklists to identify and manage threats and errors.
Crucially, pilots must develop instinctive recovery skills for stalls and unusual attitudes through consistent practice, especially in challenging scenarios, to counteract the adverse effects of stress and the startle response during an upset.

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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.