European General Aviation Safety Team EGAST

Loss of Control in flight

Light aircraft, MTOM below 2 250 kg 2006 to 2009 (4 years) European MS

(EGAST data Sub-group)

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I
01 September 2010

Fatality rate in European MS

BACKGROUND: Light Aircraft accident data in Europe
A/c Cat Aeroplanes Glider Microlight Helicopter Other Balloon Gyroplane Unknown Accidents 2197 1023 849 344 291 88 41 2 Fatal Accid 280 120 141 43 52 1 11 0

(2006 to 2009)
F.Ac/Ac ratio 12.7% 11.7% 16.6% 12.5% 17.9% 1.1% 26.8% 0
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Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

LOC-I
LOC-I = Loss of aircraft control while in flight
Used only for airborne phases of flight Can occur either in IMC or VMC May occur as a result of a deliberate maneuver (e.g.
stall/spin practice)

Includes stall For icing related events LOC-I and ICE are both coded If loss of control is a direct result of a System/Component failure, LOC-I is not coded (e.g.
result of structural failure)

If loss of control follows less severe System/Component failure, both categories are coded (e.g. aircraft spins trying to return to runway after engine failure)
Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 3

LOC-I fatality
LOC-I: Light Aircraft accident data in Europe (2006 to 2009) was gathered for Aeroplanes, Gliders and Microlight. LOC-I is almost equally fatal in the three aircraft categories under study.
LOC-I (Loss of Control in flight) A/c Cat Accidents Fatal Accid F.Ac/Ac ratio 285 113 39.2% Aeroplanes 189 68 35.4% Glider 225 81 35.3% Microlight
(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)
Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 4

LOC-I fatality
There seems to be an aggravation for Motor Gliders
LOC-I (Loss of Control in flight) in Gliders A/c Cat Accidents Fatal Accid F.Ac/Ac ratio 144 44 30.6% Pure glider Motor glider 45 24 53.3%
Note: As CAUSES are not coded in the database, it is difficult to find
why this is so, as glider accidents are, in many Member States, not investigated by the national investigating bodies.
(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)
Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 5

Categories
Accident Categories:
As defined by CAST-ICAO Can be consulted at: http://www.intlaviationstandards.org/ Several categories can be attributed to a single occurrence

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

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Fatal and non-fatal LOC-I accidents

Occurrence categories for Aeroplanes
Aeroplanes
RAM P BIRD F-NI RI-VAP OTHR USOS ICE SCF-NP ARC UNK FUEL WSTR AM AN SCF-PP F-POST LALT LOC-I GCOL ATM MAC LOC-G TURB RE

Fatal Non-Fatal

O C TEG cc A

113 LOC-I Fatal

172 LOC-I non fatal

50

100

150

200

250

300

(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)

Accid
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Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

Fatal and non-fatal LOC-I accidents

Occurrence categories for Gliders
Gliders
MAC WSTR ADRM TURB ARC OTHR SCF-NP LALT LOC-I RE GCOL UNK SCF-PP USOS AMAN

Fatal Non-Fatal

Occ CATEG

68 LOC-I fatal

121 LOC-I non fatal

50

(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)

100 Accid

150

200
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Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

Fatal and non-fatal LOC-I accidents

Occurrence categories for Microlights
Microlight
OTHR UNK FUEL WSTR AMAN TURB SCF-PP F-POST SCF-NP LALT LOC-I ICE F-NI MAC RE USOS ARC

Fatal Non-Fatal

Occ CATEG

81 LOC-I fatal

144 LOC-I non fatal

50

100

(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)

Accid

150

200

250

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

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Categories
In all aircraft categories LALT appear as the highest category in fatal accidents associated with LOC-I.
(LALT = intentionally operating at low altitude)

However in the majority of the cases there are no other categories associated (LOC-I stands alone).

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

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Flight phases

Take-off (includes initial climb) En route (includes climb into pattern or cruising level) Manoeuvring (includes abrupt manoeuvring, aerobatics,
in search of lift, low flying, etc)

Approach (includes circuit pattern) Landing (includes level-off/touchdown)

Taxi and Standing phases are not possible for fixed wing aircraft, regarding LOC-I.

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

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Phases of Flight in LOC-I

Aeroplanes: Max fatal en-route
F.Phase Take-off En route Manoeuvring Approach Landing Unknown Take-off En route Manoeuvring Approach Landing Unknown Take-off En route Manoeuvring Approach Landing Unknown Fatal 32 43 18 17 2 1 19 20 14 13 2 0 26 20 23 10 2 0 Non- Fatal 80 15 14 26 35 2 44 12 7 39 16 3 58 21 9 24 32 0 Total 112 58 32 43 37 3 63 32 21 52 18 3 84 41 32 34 34 0 Ac Category

Aeroplane 285

Gliders: Max fatal take-off

Glider 189

Microlights: Max fatal take-off

(accumulated data 4 years - 2006 to 2009)

Microlight 225

All 3 aircraft categories have more LOC-I at take-off

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 12

Phases of Flight (LOC-I)

90 80 70 No. Accid. 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Take-off En route Manoeuvring Approach Landing Unknown

Fatal/Non-fatal Accidents

Aer. Fatal Gli. Fatal Mi. Fatal Aer. Non-Fatal Gli. Non-Fatal Mi. Non-Fatal

Flight Phase

(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 13

Summary for gliders

Fatal =12% LOC-I = 19% 57% LOC-I Glider All glider Glider Fatal LOC-I Fatal 120 189 68 LOC-I fatal = 36%
(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)
Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 14

All glider accidents 1023

Importance of LOC-I
All Accidents versus LOC-I A/c Cat All Accid LOC-I Accid Tot Ac/LOC-I ratio Fixed wing 2197 285 13.0% 18.5% Glider 1023 189 26.5% Microlight 849 225 Total 4069 699 17.2%

LOC-I is the higher ranking category in light G.A. accidents

All Fatal Accidents versus LOC-I A/c Cat All Accid LOC-I Accid Tot Ac/LOC-I ratio 40.4% Fixed wing 280 113 56.7% Glider 120 68 Microlight 57.4% 141 81 48.4% Total 541 262

LOC-I accidents are very frequently fatal

(accumulated data - 4 years - 2006 to 2009)
Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I Slide 15

European General Aviation Safety Team EGAST

Loss of Control in-flight is the most important Accident category, either considering all or only the fatal accidents

Aircraft with MTOM < 2 250 kg LOC-I

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