Abstract
National Transportation Safety Board accident data for 1983-1991 were used to compare those general aviation accident cases that involved spatial disorientation (SD) with all others. About 2.1% of general aviation airplane accidents involved SD. Those accidents were associated with low ceilings, restricted visibility, precipitation, darkness and instrument flight conditions. Pilots in certain professions, particularly those in business, were more involved in SD accidents. Pilots in SD accidents were more often under pressure, fatigue, anxiety, physical impairment and alcohol or drugs. The pilots' total and night flying experience were inversely related to involvement in SD accidents. Spatial disorientation accidents accounted for a small number of crashes, but they were very severe-fatalities occurred in 92%, they accounted for 9.9% of the fatal accidents, 11% of the fatalities and in 95% the aircraft were destroyed. The results suggest that the pilots in SD accidents lacked the flight experience necessary to recognize or cope with the stimuli that induce SD, which was compounded by fatigue, alcohol/drugs or pressure and other psychological and physical impairments. Specific exposure to conditions leading to SD in training of general aviation and all pilots should be evaluated to help them to recognize it, and the techniques used by experienced pilots to combat its onset and effects should be studied and used in training. Improved human factors engineering of the cockpit instrumentation is also needed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.