Structural failure accidents, often from getting too friendly with thunderstorms, kill both people and what little good press GA is able to garner. In the last decade, 50 accidents-about 10 per cent of all accidents-were due to in-flight structural failure. Worse, even with better weather data in flight, these accidents arent going away.
Structural failure accidents in general aviation are frequently caused by turbulence, not just precipitation, and persist despite improved weather data.
Maneuvering speed (VA) is often insufficient for safely penetrating turbulence because gust-induced airspeed fluctuations can still lead to structural overload, particularly with aggressive pilot control inputs.
Pilots should instead utilize a slower turbulence penetration speed (VB), typically 10-20 knots below VA and adjusted for lighter aircraft weights, and in severe turbulence, focus on riding it out by accepting altitude changes with minimal control inputs and disengaging autopilots without a turbulence mode.
Structural failure accidents, often from getting too friendly with thunderstorms, kill both people and what little good press GA is able to garner. In the last decade, 50 accidents—about 10 per cent of all accidents—were due to in-flight structural failure. Worse, even with better weather data in flight, these accidents aren’t going away.
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