The Magnitude of the Spatial Disorientation Problem in Transport Airplanes

Area of Science:

• Aviation Safety
• Human Factors in Aviation
• Aerospace Medicine

Background:

• Loss-of-control (LOC) is a primary cause of transport airplane accidents.
• Spatial disorientation (SD) is frequently a contributing factor in these accidents, but its specific role is often underanalyzed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the incidence and patterns of spatial disorientation (SD) in transport and commuter airplane accidents over a 35-year period.
• To compare the distribution of SD-related mishaps with general LOC mishaps across different flight phases.

Main Methods:

• A review of accident reports from national aviation organizations and independent groups was conducted.
• 94 accidents involving transport and commuter airplanes during normal operations (1981-2016) were identified as involving spatial disorientation.

Main Results:

• The distribution of SD mishaps differs significantly from general LOC mishaps across flight phases.
• SD mishaps were less common during initial climb (16%) but more prevalent during enroute climb (18%) and go-around/missed approach (21%) compared to LOC mishaps.
• A notable increase in the number of SD-related mishaps was observed over the study period.

Conclusions:

• Spatial disorientation presents a growing safety concern in aviation.
• While somatogravic illusion may explain some SD during go-around/missed approach, the overall increasing trend requires further investigation.
• Additional research is needed to fully understand the drivers behind the rise in SD-related aviation accidents.