FAA · FAASTeam Safety Articles
Flying Lessons - 091125
In Brief
What It Addresses
suggested by this week’s aircraft mishap reports FLYING LESSONS uses the past week’s mishap reports to consider what might have contributed to accidents, so you can make better decisions if you face similar circumstances. In almost all cases design characteristics of a specific make and model airplane have little direct bearing on the possible causes of aircraft accidents, so apply these FLYING LESSONS to any airplane you fly.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
©2009 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. All rights reserved.
FLYING LESSONSFLYING LESSONS for November 25, 2009
suggested by this week’s aircraft mishap reports FLYING LESSONS uses the past week’s mishap reports to consider what might have contributed to accidents, so you can make better decisions if you face similar circumstances. In almost all cases design characteristics of a specific make and model airplane have little direct bearing on the possible causes of aircraft accidents, so apply these FLYING LESSONS to any airplane you fly. Verify all technical information before applying it to your aircraft or operation, with manufacturers’ data and recommendations taking precedence.
If you wish to receive the free, expanded FLYING LESSONS report each week, email “subscribe” to mastery.flight.training@cox.net.
FLYING LESSONS is an independent product of MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, INC. www.thomaspturner.net This week’s lessons:
It’s like the FAA learned a new word to describe an old problem. The word “veered” has appeared frequently in recent FAA preliminary reports, along with “departed the runway” and that oldie but goodie, “ground loop”.
In just the last two weeks no less than 17 reports of lost directional control have appeared on the FAA’s website. Some are on takeoff, some are on landing; some are in tailwheel airplanes, some in tricycle types. Where weather is reported some are in windy conditions, but others are in calm air. Even King Airs, Partinavia twins and Canadair Regional Jets made the “veered” list.
Date Aircraft Type Mishap
11/9/2009 C150 Went off the runway after landing
11/10/2009 7KCAB Went off the runway into the grass on landing
11/12/2009 7GCBC Ground looped on takeoff
11/13/2009 7GCBC Ground looped on landing
11/14/2009 KA200 Veered off the runway on landing
11/14/2009 7GC Veered off the runway on landing
11/15/2009 GC-1 Veered off the runway on landing
11/16/2009 T-18 Veered off the runway on landing
11/17/2009 C172 Veered off the runway on takeoff
11/18/2009 P2004 Bravo On takeoff, veered off into the grass
11/18/2009 Cassutt On takeoff, went off the runway
11/19/2009 C185 On landing, ground looped
11/20/2009 CL-600 Ran off the runway into the grass
11/20/2009 Be35 On landing, veered off the runway
11/21/2009 C172 On landing, went off the runway
11/21/2009 SR22 On landing, veered off the runway
11/23/2009 PA18 Ground looped on the runway Have we forgotten how to maintain directional control on the runway? Mishap reports and reports from readers in the insurance industry give us that distinct impression. Runway directional control is a product of controlling the airplane through:
Wind, especially crosswind and/or gusty, variable conditions
Engine effects, more correctly propeller turning tendencies
Airplane characteristics, especially landing gear configuration and control authority at low speeds More importantly, directional control is a function of the pilot’s ability to handle the conditions he or she puts the airplane in, at the pilot’s current level of capability based on recent experience.
What caused this accident?
On landing the airplane departed Runway 36 and its nosewheel collapsed, damaging the propeller and the airplane’s right wing. The wind was from 310° at 15 gusting to 26 knots….
First thoughts turn to lost directional control because of the strong and gusty crosswind. That was indeed a contributing factor, but I submit the accident was caused by the pilot’s decision to attempt the landing at all.
We don’t seem to do a good job of evaluating wind conditions when we near the destination airport. Instructors (and I’m guilty too) don’t make wind evaluation as much of an approach briefing item as we do visibility and ceiling when briefing for an IFR approach. Worse, where instrument approach procedures give us a safe means of getting to a point where we decide whether or not to land based on current conditions, we won’t know whether we can control an adverse wind until we actually touch down.
Hence we must be even more cautious about the wind than we are about IMC factors, because there is no “decision height” once we commit to landing, and attempting to go around once runway directional control is lost is extremely hazardous. We are not committed to land at any particular destination; evaluate the wind, your airplane and your currency before deciding whether or not to land on a given runway. Touch-and-goes in retractable gear airplanes correlate to a large number of gear collapse mishaps. As I wrote in my AVweb article “Rethinking Touch and Goes”:
There's a lot to do in the short time on the ground in a T&G, and in retractable gear (RG) airplanes there's the added risk of moving the landing gear switch when you intend to retract the flaps or perform some other function. I personally do not routinely teach T&Gs in RG airplanes, except as a "landing abort" emergency maneuver. Shouldn't RG airplanes' landing gear squat switches protect you from unlocking the landing gear? That's the design, yes. But at least in some cases the answer is no. See my observations on squat switches and gear collapse mishaps. For more discussion read “Rethinking Touch and Goes”.
See:
www.avweb.com/news/leadingedge/leading_edge_12_rethinking_the_touch_and_go_196642-1.html. www.thomaspturner.net/Squat%20Switches%20and%20Gear%20Collapse%20Mishaps.pdf Questions? Comments? Email me at mastery.flight.training@cox.net
Coming soon! FLYING LESSONS comes to North Texas
Saturday, December 12th, Denton, TX: FLYING LESSONS is hosted by
Aircraft Precision Maintenance, Inc. The day-long program includes:
Running out of fuel: Lessons from three case studies
Keep it on the runway: The lost art of directional control
A pilot’s guide to aviation insurance
Those who won’t: Avoiding gear up and gear-collapse mishaps
What really happens in IMC
Check here for complete details. Contact Aircraft Precision Maintenance at 940-765-7975 or Wesley@apmtx.com to enroll.
See www.thomaspturner.net/Denton%20Dec%202009.pdf
Watch for additional FLYING LESSONS events in 2010. Contact mastery.flight.training@cox.net if you’d like to arrange a presentation at your conference, FBO, safety meeting or flying club.
New from the FAA
Pilot Deviation Safety Tip
Notice Number: NOTC2038 AIRBORNE PILOT DEVIATIONS What
is an airborne pilot deviation? The actions of a pilot that result in the violation of a Federal Aviation Regulation while in flight. Such deviations could result in a loss of separation between your airplane and another or with the next mountain peak!
Why do pilot deviations happen? Pilots don’t start off the day by saying, “Today I’m going to go out and commit a pilot deviation.” We don’t say, “I’m going to fly through some airspace that I’m not supposed to.” No, pilot deviations occur because of poor technique, inattention, or failure to plan properly.
The FAA Safety Team wants airmen to be aware of this problem, and encourages pilots to increase their awareness and skills so that aviation safety is enhanced.
Types of IFR Deviations (Listed in order)
Altitude violations - Failure to maintain the assigned altitude
Course clearance violations
Airspeed violations
Missing a compulsory reporting point
What can be done about it?
First, have a method to remember and record directions and/or clearances from ATC, and second, execute the action. For example, o Write it down, o Input it into an altitude alerter or avionics system, or o Index the heading bug
Use current directories, charts, approach plates, and data bases
If ever in question, call ATC and confirm
Types of VFR Deviations (Listed in order)
Airspace violations - Flying into airspace such as class B, C, D, prohibited, restricted or TFR’s without communication and/or clearance
Flying VFR into IMC conditions
Low level flight
Required aircraft equipment is not installed or operating
What can be done about it?
Improve flight planning - Know the route and requirements
Have only current directories, charts and data bases onboard
Obtain better/complete weather briefings
Obtain the NOTAM’s and TFR’s for your route of flight Plan ahead and be precise in your preparation for flight and in your actions while operating the aircraft. Don’t become complacent or make assumptions. Always be alert and aware and continually processing the situation. Ask yourself, “Do I really have everything correct?”
Do you have a question or comment? Email me at mastery.flight.training@cox.net. Fly safe, and have fun!
Thomas P. Turner, M.S. Aviation Safety, MCFI
2008 FAA Central Region CFI of the Year
FLYING LESSONS is ©2009 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. Copyright holder provides permission for FLYING LESSONS to be posted on FAASafety.gov. For more information see www.thomaspturner.net , or contact mastery.flight.training@cox.net or your FAASTeam representative.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faasafety.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
Author: Thomas P. Turner
FAASTeam library-38761