A comprehensive white paper on the subject of Loss of Control-Inflight (LOC-I) is available in the members resource center on the SAFE website. Here is a summary:
According to the old joke, when his instructor asked his student to show him straight-and-level flight, he responded, “You’ll have to choose one. I can’t give you both at the same time.”
But Loss Of Control – Inflight (LOC-I) accidents are no joke. In fact, accident data shows that LOC-I is the leading cause of fatal accidents over the past 10 years, and the numbers are getting worse, rather than better. Certainly, the high profile accidents involving Colgan Air, Air France and, most recently, the Korean Air fiasco at San Francisco have fueled the outcry over this issue.
The FAA has become so alarmed by pilots’ inability to maintain control of their airplanes that some major initiatives are in the works to improve the state of training.
SAFE is at the forefront of efforts to amplify pilots’ ability to recognize and recover from upsets. A comprehensive white paper on LOC-I is available at the SAFE resource center. Authors Randy Brooks, Jeff Edwards, Janeen Kochan, Paul Ransbury and Rich Stowell detail the most profound elements of the problem, and what can be done to alleviate it.
The paper starts with the basics – standard terminology. The first step to solving a problem is clearly identifying what it is, and ensuring terms and their definitions are universally set. The paper identifies the terms Airplane Upset; Loss of Control; Normal Flight Mode; and Unusual Attitude. From there, the discussion can carry on with little or no confusion.
Next, the authors provide accident statistical data to illustrate the enormity of the problem. For example, in the decade from 2001-2010, LOC-I accidents not only led the field, but outnumbered accidents from the next five categories, combined.
What follows is a detailed look at LOC-I causes, divided into two categories – Pilot-induced LOC-I and Environmentally-induced LOC-I. Human factors include inattention, diversion, spatial disorientation, exceeding pilot capabilities and startle response. The paper also describes “operating envelope excursion” as a cause of upsets. On the environmental side, the authors examine system anomalies (flap asymmetry, malfunctioning controls, runaway trim, etc.), instrument failure and automation failure.
Training: Beyond simply identifying the problems, the authors provide a detailed discussion on Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT). Recommendations include introducing various elements of UPRT at all levels of the training regime, from primary to advanced recurrent training for professional pilots.
Training in UPRT is divided into three categories: academic, flight simulator training devices (FSTDs) and aircraft-based training. As part of the academic portion, the authors outline the importance of Crew Resource Management for multi-pilot operations; and Single Pilot Resource Management (SPRM) for single pilots.
The paper offers much more and is well worth the time to study its observations and recommendations.