Page 7 - Volume 11 Number 1

Skies
Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation
Although in­flight loss of control (LOC) accidents in general aviation in the United States are decreasing, the NTSB notes that they still occur at an unacceptable rate. Between 2008 to 2014, nearly 48 percent of fatal fixed­wing GA accidents resulted from pilots losing control of their aircraft in flight. During this time, LOC in flight accounted for 1,194 fatalities. According to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), business aviation LOC accidents are a subset of the broader GA spectrum, and the alarming consistency of catastrophic outcomes in this type of accident compels an effort to better understand and control LOC risks. The NBAA’s Safety Committee has created a resource regarding this issue for business aviation, “Loss of Control In­Flight” which can be found under the Safety section of its website (www.nbaa.org).
Per the NTSB’s information, the most common type of LOC is a stall, including a post­stall spin, which can occur when the pilot allows the aircraft to enter a flight regime outside its normal flight envelope. Stalls may happen because a pilot lacks understanding about how a stall actually relates to exceeding a wing’s critical angle of attack (AOA), as opposed to the more common idea that it’s just related to airspeed. When airplanes are close to the ground, such as in a landing pattern, there is limited time and altitude available to recover from a stall or spin, making these stalls particularly deadly. Although LOC happens in all phases of flight, approach to landing, maneuvering and initial climb are, statistically, the deadliest phases of flight for LOC accidents.
The NTSB recommends the following for pilots to prevent LOC accidents:
 Understand stall characteristics and warning signs, and be able to apply appropriate recovery techniques before stall onset.
 Realizethatstallcharacteristicscanvarywithaircraft loading and are usually worse at aft CG positions.
 Be aware that stall can occur at a lower AOA in icing conditions.
 Useeffectiveaeronauticaldecision­makingtechniques and flight risk assessment tools during both preflight planning and in­flight operations.
 Managedistractionssothattheydonotinterferewith situational awareness.
 Obtain training in emergency response skills so it is more natural to apply those skills in an emergency situation.
 Understandandmaintaincurrencyintheequipment and airplanes being operated.
 Take advantage of available commercial trainer, type club and transition training opportunities.
National Transportation Safety Board Christopher Hart stated that they have decided to move to a new two­year cycle that will “help to focus our advocacy efforts (and your coverage) on sustained progress.” At the one­year mark, progress that has been made on the items of the list will be reviewed and additional improvements added, if needed.
The following is the 2017­2018 Most Wanted List that pertains to the aviation industry. Most significant is the return of in­flight loss of control in general aviation, on the list for the third year, as well as repeating items related to fatigue, distractions, medical fitness and substance impairments.
JANUARY 2017
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 5