There is no victim or deceased identified in the article. : “Safer Flight Training: Trends and Improvements”

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Flight Training Safety Improves as Study Highlights Major Risks

When aspiring pilots embark on flight training, one of their primary concerns is safety. However, a recent study conducted by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute and Liberty University School of Aeronautics indicates that flight training is becoming safer than ever before.

The study, which analyzed flight training risks and innovations from 2000 to 2019, examined the number of accidents and their causes. It found that the leading cause of fatal accidents during instructional flight is the loss of aircraft control, accounting for 54 percent of such incidents. Most of these accidents are attributed to stall/spin events that occur during a go-around in the pattern when the aircraft is at low altitude, high power, and high angle of attack. Overshooting the base-to-final turn has also been identified as a risky situation for pilots.

It is worth noting that a stall/spin event at low altitude is often unrecoverable.

“While the aviation industry has made significant strides in raising awareness about stall/spin risks when overshooting base to final, we should also emphasize stall/spin risk during takeoff, climbout, and go-around, as well as energy awareness and management during these flight phases,” said Robert Geske, AOPA Air Safety Institute manager of aviation safety analysis.

Over the past few years, there has been a growing focus on identifying risk factors in aviation, resulting in improved flight training safety, according to Andrew Walton, Liberty University School of Aerospace director of safety.

“Collaborative efforts by the FAA, NTSB, manufacturers, and the flight training community have led to a significant decrease in the fatal accident rate, which is now approximately half of what it was at the beginning of the century,” said Walton. “From 2000 to 2004, the fatal accident rate averaged 0.49 per hundred thousand hours, and it decreased to 0.26 in the last five years of the study. However, there is still work to be done, particularly in mitigating the risk of loss of control in flight.”

Other Factors Contributing to Accidents

The study also highlighted other factors that contribute to fatal instructional accidents. Loss of control during in-flight maneuvering remains a significant concern. The study suggests that the FAA’s decision to modify the slow flight maneuver in the airman certification standards, focusing more on recognizing stall factors and maintaining control during slow flight, may have played a role in reducing these accidents.

Midair collisions were identified as the second-leading cause of fatal instructional accidents between 2000 and 2019. The majority of these collisions occurred outside the airport environment, with most happening at altitudes between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. However, researchers noted that the introduction of ADS-B into the training fleet coincided with a decrease in the number of midair collisions.

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) ranked as the third-leading cause of fatal instructional accidents, although there was a slight decrease in the overall number. The majority of CFIT accidents occurred at night and/or in instrument meteorological conditions, often during maneuvering, enroute, or approach.

Further analysis revealed that most CFIT accidents occurred at night in visual meteorological conditions. During daylight, these accidents often resulted from inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions or a loss of situational awareness during emergency procedures or missed approaches.

Fuel mismanagement continues to contribute to aviation accidents, although the study indicates that low-fuel alerting systems in more advanced aircraft have helped reduce instances of fuel exhaustion. However, engine failure due to fuel starvation still occurs, often resulting from the pilot’s failure to switch fuel tanks or not having the fuel selector properly positioned.

Component failure of the engine ranked fifth on the list of causal factors. The study identified various events attributable to improper maintenance, including a fuel filter installed backward, a missing cotter pin in a carburetor, and a corroded mixture cable that sheared during flight. Additionally, two engines failed suddenly—one due to an exhaust valve failure and another because of a poorly installed magneto.

Changes in Flight Training

The study also explored changes in flight training that may have contributed to the reduction in accidents. The FAA updated the airman certification standards to require applicants to demonstrate risk management and aeronautical decision-making skills.

Ultimately, the findings of this study will be used to develop strategies aimed at mitigating risks and preventing accidents in the future.

To access the complete report, click here.

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