Loss of control is top cause of airplane accidents
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and general aviation (GA) groups are launching the Fly Safe national safety campaign to educate the GA community on how to prevent Loss of Control (LOC) accidents this flying season. FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker officially kicked-off the #FlySafe campaign earlier this month at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) Fly-In at the Frederick Municipal Airport, Frederick, MD.
A Loss of Control accident involves an unintended departure of an aircraft from controlled flight. Loss of Control can happen because the aircraft enters a flight regime that is outside its normal flight envelope and may quickly develop into a stall or spin. It can introduce an element of surprise for the pilot.Contributing factors may include: poor judgment/aeronautical decision making, failure to recognize an aerodynamic stall or spin and execute corrective action, intentional regulatory non-compliance, low pilot time in aircraft make and model, lack of piloting ability, failure to maintain airspeed, failure to follow procedure, pilot inexperience and proficiency, or the use of over-the-counter drugs that impact pilot performance.