Follows In-Depth Study Of Loss-Of-Control Accidents

The FAA has issued a Safety Alert For Operators (SAFO) encouraging air carriers to incorporate scenario-based go-around training into pilot training curricula.

The Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) is a voluntary organization made up of government agencies, air carriers, manufacturers and aviation labor organizations dedicated to reducing the commercial aviation accident rate and associated fatality risk.

CAST conducted an in-depth study of numerous loss-of-control accidents and incidents. Four of those events occurred during the go-around phase of flight and were either due to a speed decay leading to a stall or a significant nose down input, likely as a reaction to pilots encountering the somatogravic illusion. Based on this accident and incident analysis, CAST determined scenario-based go-around training would be an improvement to air carrier pilot training.

The somatogravic illusion is a vestibular illusion which is experienced during high accelerations/decelerations when a pilot has no clear visual reference. Pilots often experience the combination of rapid acceleration and reduced/no visual cues (i.e. instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and/or night flying). When pilots are unable to utilize their visual system to resolve the ambiguity, the brain uses the signals it is receiving and interprets them as a ‘tilt’. The net result is a tilt back (i.e. pitching up) sensation under acceleration, and a tilting forward (i.e. pitching down) sensation under deceleration.

The FAA agrees with CAST and encourages air carriers to incorporate the following elements into go-around procedures and training:

Ground Training. Possibility of encountering the somatogravic illusion during go-around and its potential consequences.

Flight Training. Go-around maneuvers in realistic scenarios in the following conditions:

• From various stages of the approach, including configurations other than final landing configuration; Distributed by: AFS-200 OPR: AFS-280
• From visual approaches followed by loss of visual references;
• With extreme pitch trim configuration, such as nose up trim resulting from flight at speeds below approach speed with the autopilot engaged;
• In low-weight configuration with all engines at go-around thrust;
• After the initial touchdown, such as from a bounced or long landing; and
• With air traffic control (ATC) clearance change just after go-around is initiated.

Directors of operations, directors of training, and training center managers should review the information in this SAFO and revise the go-around procedures and training as appropriate.

FMI: www.faa.gov