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What's Killing Pilots

Graph of Common Accident Scenariosby Darren Smith, CFII/MEI
Getting the Most from Your Flight Training, October 2005
Updated January, 2010

The graph on the right shows the top four accidents as:
  1. Stall/Spin
  2. Low level flight
  3. Weather
  4. VFR into IFR
Every so often, the AOPA puts out the Nall report on general aviation safety.  This handful of causes is always at the top.  It never changes, year after year, its always the same.  This graph is from an FAA study of 57,000 accidents which confirms the Nall report. 

After completing two years of research into how pilots bend metal and maim themselves, I presented an FAA Safety Meeting briefing on "Common Accident Scenarios" complete with pictures, causes, and antidotes.  The following is the summary of the big killers in general aviation.  I encourage you to print it and share it with your fellow pilots at EAA meetings, Safety Seminars, and Airport Meetings. Please see your favorite CFI and get a refresher on unusual attitudes, stall recovery, and hood time.

Below is a summary of the antidotes for each of the common accident scenarios.
Killer
 Save Your Life
Stall/Spin - common scenario is low level flight in which the pilot continues to increase the angle of attack ultimately stalling the aircraft.  When the aircraft stalls, the pilot does not have sufficient altitude to recover from the stall.  A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack. 
Recognize the indicators of a stall:
  1. Decaying airspeed.
  2. Stall warning horn.
  3. Aerodynamic effects:  buffeting & ineffective ailerons.
  4. Nose of the aircraft drops.
Recover:
  • Pitch - Reduce the angle of attack
  • Power - Apply full power
  • Drag - Reduce drag, flaps, gear
  • Climb - Climb away from the ground
Break the accident chain:
  • Know your aircraft performance
  • Know your weight & balance
  • Maintain stable airspeeds on approach & landing
  • Avoid steep bank angles at low altitudes, i.e. more than 30 degrees in the pattern
  • Follow the minimum safe altitudes of 91.119 and maintain at least 1000 AGL
  • Follow the MEA or OROCA for IFR flights
Inadvertent IFR - loss of visual contact with the horizon.  Usually related to the pilot pushing the capabilities of the aircraft to the limits by trying to maintain visual contact with the terrain while trying to avoid physical contact with it. See 178 seconds to Live.
 Recognize how it happens:
  • Hazy conditions which can become IFR
  • Over unlit terrain at night, especially water.
  • Blowing snow (white out) or dust.
  • Heavy rain.
Recover:
  • Level the wings
  • Fix the airspeed
  • Correct the altitude
  • 180 degree turn to VFR
  • If you have time, carb heat, pitot heat.
Break the accident chain:
  • Know all available information about your flight 91.103 includes a weather briefing.
  • Remember weather briefings are educated guesses, have a plan b if you need to abort.
  • Be willing to abort.
  • Set personal minimums.  See the Personal Minimums Checklist for help.
  • Respect the VFR Weather minimums of 91.155
  • Use VFR flight following from your local ATC service organization.
  • Get an instrument rating.  The #1 story we hear from survivors is, "I tried to fly VFR in IFR Conditions."
Flight into bad weather
 Recognize how it happens:
  • Inadequate pre flight weather briefing.
  • Get-there-itis
  • Unwillingness to abort
Recover:
  • Be willing to turn around or land and wait it out.
Break the accident chain:
  • Know all available information about your flight 91.103 includes a weather briefing.
  • Remember weather briefings are educated guesses, have a plan b if you need to abort.
  • Be willing to abort.
  • Set personal minimums.  See the Personal Minimums Checklist for help.
  • Respect the VFR Weather minimums of 91.155
  • Use VFR flight following from your local ATC service organization.
  • Consider fuel management options to help you deviate around the weather.
  • Read the new FAA resource: Personal and Weather Risk Assessment Guide
Mid Air Collision
 See collision avoidance page for more information

Other Safety Resources

IFR Risk Management
Things Your Flight Instructor Wish You Knew (Airplane) or Helicopter
15 Things Pilots Must Learn(Airplane) or Helicopter
Making Safe Choices
Flying Discipline
Hazardous Attitudes
Things Your Flight Instructor Worries About
Characteristics of Successful Pilots
Personal Minimums Checklist (Airplane)
Flight Profile Flying - how to improve safety flying the profile
Introduction to Aeronautical Decision Making
    Hazardous Attitudes

Regarding her first flight at age 12:  “Even before we reached 300 feet, I knew the sky would be my home. I tumbled out of
the airplane with stars in my eyes.”   — Geraldyn Cobb, 1931-, First woman to be trained as an astronaut.

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