Title:
What's Up with Pink Airworthiness Certificates?
Topic:
Accident Review of Amateur Built and Light Sport Aircraft & Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)
Speaker(s):
Jeff Vandeyacht, Gopinadha Kurup, Dr, Karl Hafner
Brief Description:
Don't miss this exclusive briefing on Amateur Built and Light Sport Aircraft safety presented by FAA Safety Team Representative Jeff Vandeyacht. Additionally, local Flight Instructor Gopinadha Kurup will lead a discussion on Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), including the factors and events that lead to General Aviation (GA) CFIT accidents as well as effective mitigation strategies to prevent them.
Location of Seminar:
EAA Chapter 486
Oswego County Airport
EAA Hangar
Fulton, NY 13069
Directions to Venue:
North side of the Oswego County Airport.
View Map
Seating:
50
seats at the facility,
41
remaining for online registration.
Registration Information:
Seminar has passed.
Sponsoring Division:
The FAA Safety Team
Additional Event Information & Acknowledgement of Industry Sponsor(s):
Sponsored by EAA Chapter 486
The amateur aircraft building community is foundational to general aviation in the US. However, recent trends in experimental airplane accidents have suggested a need for an increased effort to ensure that pilots of experimental airplanes are prepared for the challenges associated with the building and operation of these airplanes. Historically, experimental airplane flight operations represent a small percentage of flight hours, but a significant percentage of General Aviation (GA) accidents. For example, 2009 accident data showed that while experimental airplanes are involved in approximately 27% of fatal accidents in the United States, they fly only 3.4% of the total general aviation fleet hours.
While a higher risk in experimental aircraft flight operations might be acceptable to the general aviation community and the general public, in order for the recreational, educational and experimental benefits of amateur built airplanes to flourish, both FAA and industry agree that safety improvements are needed. Safety Team Representative Jeff Vandeyacht will discuss these issues and the reason that a solid safety culture is foundational to safety in the experimental amateur built and LSA industry.
According to FAA info, GA CFIT accidents account for 17 percent of all general aviation fatalities. More than half of these CFIT accidents occurred during IMC. This safety seminar highlights the inherent risk that controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) poses for general aviation (GA) pilots. We'll identify some, but not all, of the risks associated with GA CFIT accidents, and provide some recommendations and strategies to combat CFIT within the GA community. Gopinadha Kurup is an experienced local flight instructor and will lead this informative discussion.
Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT). CFIT occurs when an airworthy aircraft is flown, under the control of a qualified pilot, into terrain (water or obstacles) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.
Operating in marginal VFR/IMC conditions is more commonly known as scud running. According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA data, one of the leading causes of GA accidents is continued VFR flight into IMC.
As defined in 14 CFR part 91, ceiling, cloud, or visibility conditions less than that specified for VFR or Special VFR is IMC and IFR applies. However, some pilots, including some with instrument ratings, continue to fly VFR in conditions less than that specified for VFR. The result is often a CFIT accident when the pilot tries to continue flying or maneuvering beneath a lowering ceiling and hits an obstacle or terrain or impacts water.
The accident may or may not be a result of a loss of control before the aircraft impacts the obstacle or surface. The importance of complete weather information, understanding the significance of the weather information, and being able to correlate the pilot's skills and training, aircraft capabilities, and operating environment with an accurate forecast cannot be emphasized enough.
Continued flight in reduced visual conditions compounded by night operations and/or overwater flight poses some risks. VFR pilots in reduced visual conditions may develop spatial disorientation and lose control, possibly going into a graveyard spiral, or descend to an unsafe altitude while trying to maintain visual contact with the surface. The pilot then impacts terrain, the surface, or an obstacle while trying to maneuver. The following are some of the CFIT risks associated with such flight.
(1) Loss of aircraft control.
(2) Loss of situational awareness.
(3) Reduced reaction time to see and avoid rising terrain or obstacles.
(4) Inability of the pilot to operate the aircraft at its minimum controllable airspeed.
(5) Getting lost or being off the preplanned flightpath and impacting terrain or obstacle.
(6) Reduced pilot reaction time in the event of an aircraft maintenance problem because of a low or lowering altitude.
(7) Failure to adequately understand the weather conditions that resulted in the reduced conditions.
(8) Breakdown in good aeronautical decision making.
(9) Failure to comply with appropriate regulations.
(10) Failure to comply with minimum safe altitudes.
(11) Increased risk of hitting one of many new low altitude towers installed for cellular telephones and other types of transmissions. This risk is especially great along major highways if VFR pilots try to follow a highway when lost or trying to stay under a lowering ceiling.
(12) Failure to turn around and avoid deteriorating conditions when first able.
In addition, Dr. Karl Hafner, a local FAA Aeromedical Examiner will discuss airman medical issues. Don't miss it!
Equal Access Information:
The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) is committed to providing equal access to this meeting/event for all participants. If you need alternative formats or services because of a disability, please communicate your request as soon as possible with the person in the “Contact Information” area of the meeting/event notice. Note that two weeks is usually required to arrange services.
Credit Applicability:
1 Credit for Basic Knowledge Topic 3
FAASTeam Project Information:
IS-M-ALS-4.1
National Project:
Amateur Built/Light Sport
Additional Event Documents:
