Not surprisingly, the No. 1 cause of general aviation accidents remains loss of control (LOC). Sadly, there’s an average of about one LOC event a week. However, these preventable accidents can happen anywhere in our aviation world.
The most famous of these was Air France Flight 447.
It was the evening of June 1, 2009, and Flight 447, a 4-year-old Airbus 330, was serenely cruising just below the equator at FL 360. Suddenly, one of the Airbus’ three redundant pitot tubes clogged with ice crystals. The Airbus flight computers noted the discrepancy in airspeed between the pilot and first officer’s displays, issued a warning to the flight crew, and disengaged the autopilot.
Suddenly hand-flying the aircraft on a dark night over the Atlantic Ocean, the plane climbs erratically nearly 2,000 feet and slows dramatically. Over the next few minutes, the crew enters and reenters a succession of deep stalls. Sadly, Flight 447 with its 12 crewmembers and 216 passengers crashed into the ocean and all aboard were lost.
While some wreckage was recovered within days, it took nearly two years to retrieve the flight and cockpit voice recorders from the ocean floor. The final accident report talked about failure of the pitot tube, crew coordination and communication issues, misunderstanding of the Airbus flight control priority system, and the impact of automation surprise and startle factor upon the crew.
However, one fact remains: the airplane was fully intact and flyable, with the sole exception of the single pitot malfunction.
More recently, a Van’s RV-10 in California and Beechcraft Bonanza in Pennsylvania both crashed while returning to their airports. Each had an open door, and the pilots were attempting to land.
While we won’t know the accident report results for several months, and there are likely mitigating factors as there are in every incident, one thing remains clear: The pilot’s first chore in any aircraft large or small is to “fly the airplane.”
Fly the Airplane
Many years ago, in preparation for becoming an instructor pilot in the B-52, I attended the Central Flight Instructor Course (CFIC) at the former Castle Air Force Base in Merced, California.
It was an amazing monthlong immersion into the hows and whys of flight instructing. However, I could not help but notice that on the bottom of nearly every page in the course manual the phrase “Fly the Aircraft” was featured in bold print.
Why the Emphasis?
The faculty, all very experienced aviators, had observed that it was very easy for new instructors to get so wrapped up in teaching that they let the airplane get away from them. It’s a common risk for the working CFI. How far do I let the student go before I intervene? The point of the admonition “fly the airplane” is that it is the most important task that protects the pilot and passengers from harm.
Control and Performance
Years ago, the debate raged between the “control/performance” instrument flying methodology used primarily by the military and airline jets and the “primary and supporting” methodology favored by the GA crowd at the time.
We won’t rehash those arguments again. However, the core of the control/performance argument is that pilots set the desired pitch and power settings, trim off the pressure, and then cross-check the pitot static instruments to see if the desired result has been achieved. This first-things-first approach allows for smooth and controlled instrument flight and is vital when an in-flight emergency or unplanned situation occurs.
Do First Things First
When a door opens in flight, a bird hits the windshield, or the engine quits, job No. 1 is to maintain flying speed.
The noise may be horrendous, the passengers panicked, and the pilot may even be injured, but controlling the pitch, power, and trim are vital. Thankfully, most airplanes, especially those with forward door hinges, will fly quite well with an open door or other maladies.
The goal is to maintain control of the aircraft without stalling, impact with the ground, or any other sudden stop. Then consider all options and return to terra firma if appropriate. Even then, Murphy’s law can catch the best of us napping.
Back in the day, a good friend (I will call him Bill) scraped together just enough cash to purchase a beautiful little Piper Apache. One sunny upstate New York afternoon, he lifted off gracefully for a local flight. Shortly after takeoff, the Apache’s door popped open. Bill set the pitch and power, leveled off at pattern altitude, and after deciding the door would not close, asked the tower for a very rapid return for landing.
As Bill tells it, the base and final pttern legs were textbook and the flare perfect, right up until the sound of the prop tips pinging off the pavement and the scraping of the belly on the runway replaced the roar from the open door. In his haste to get back on the ground, the before-landing checklist, and with it the landing gear, fell victim. As the late baseball manager/philosopher Yogi Berra famously said, “It ain’t over until it’s over.”
Engine Failure on Takeoff
When pilots talk about engine loss on takeoff, the discussion inevitably turns to “land straight ahead” or make the “impossible turn” back to the airport. These are excellent topics for a future column, but the one thing everyone can agree on is the requirement to maintain flying speed when the engine quits.
During the initial climb, the engine and propeller provide a significant amount of the excess lift required. To have the time to consider our options, we need to maintain flying speed, and transition to best glide speed. A forceful push on the control yoke may be required to make this transition.
Once in the glide, make it a point to remind ourselves that we will not stall the airplane until the flare just prior touchdown. Most of us can’t survive a fall off a 10-foot ladder, much less the fall from a stall/spin near the ground. When the engine quits, the airplane belongs to the insurance company, so use it to find the softest spot to land, avoid a sudden stop, and let it absorb all the energy.
VFR Into IFR
Every year, despite our best efforts to discourage this behavior, VFR pilots find their way into IFR conditions or get trapped on top of an undercast deck. Obviously, the two best remedies are first, don’t do it, and second, if caught in IFR conditions, attempt to return to where the air was clear and remain VFR.
However, if forced to cruise in or descend through a cloud deck, a couple rules apply. First, confirm there are VFR conditions below the deck, and second, establish the airplane in a stabilized pitch, power, and trimmed condition before entering the clouds. Once in the clouds, keep the wings level and resist the temptation to make significant pitch, power, or trim changes.
Remember, the airplane does not know if it is in the clouds, but it is quite good at maintaining a trimmed glide.
Digital Devices
iPads, iPhones, digital devices, touchscreen GPSes, and myriad little electronic devices are attention sponges. I often observe during flight reviews that once the pilot starts fiddling with the iPad or digital GPS, and especially if they make a mistake entering data the first time, their heading will begin to drift significantly.
If in the clouds or under the hood, this phenomenon expands to include altitude and air speed. These devious little digital wonder devices behave differently than the ancient analog devices they replaced.
In the old days of VOR and ADF, we just turned knobs and pushed a few buttons. Many of us remember counting clicks of the frequency knob, so we could keep our eyes outside the airplane while changing a frequency. If we made a mistake, a quick glance inside and a few clicks in the opposite direction and we were home free.
However, when we navigate through the digital touchscreens and keyboards, they require more of our focus and can absorb all our attention. And if we make an initial error, the process to erase and reprogram can be very time and attention consuming.
In the airline world a “one-head-down, one-head-up” philosophy divides the workload. One pilot programs the flight management system (FMS), while the other flies the airplane. Down here in single-pilot GA land, we need to remember to fly the airplane first, and program second.
In-Flight Emergencies
If you fly a J-3 Cub, the open door is part of the charm. But I have owned a couple Piper Warriors that due to my inattention, the entry door popped open inflight.
In the PA-28, this was an annoyance, although the look on the face of my nonpilot passengers might have disagreed. The real issue was maintaining flying speed, hearing the radio over the rush of air, and figuring what to do. This is likely the same for most airplanes with doors that hinge at the forward edge.
I can’t speak for airplanes with canopies, gull wing doors, or other variations. But generally speaking, slowing to a reasonable speed, well above stall speed, and minimizing turns, reduces the noise, maintains a healthy stall margin, and may allow the door to close.
However, if attempting to close a door in flight significantly jeopardizes the pilot’s ability to maintain aircraft control, a methodical return to the airport, while calming the passengers, might be the best solution. In any event, fly the aircraft.
For more serious emergencies, the rules are generally the same. Fly the aircraft first, then once the plane is under control, deal with the emergency. It’s easy to get into Sherlock Holmes mode while attempting to figure out a problem with the electrics, hydraulics, rough running engine, or you name it, and lose control of the bird.
Fly the airplane, point it toward a place to land, and take some time to figure out the rest.
Worth Repeating
This line is important enough to reiterate: “Fly the airplane.” These days, many years after reading this phrase on every page of my instructor textbooks, I repeat it to myself often.
Even in this automated age of FMS, GPS, and sophisticated autopilot systems, it is good to remember that pilots are still required equipment. Whether in a J-3 Cub, or a sophisticated Cirrus SR22, we are there to take over when everything else fails and save the day.
Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, said: “In flying, the probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival.” That remains true today. So, first and foremost, we need to set pitch, power, and trim, and fly the airplane.
