UK General Aviation Accidents

241 Pages·2014·2.36 MB·English

by  Andy Taylor

UK General Aviation Accidents:
Increasing Safety Through Improved Training

Andrew Taylor

Submitted in accordance with the requirements
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

The University of Leeds

School of Process, Environmental
and Materials Engineering

March 2014
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The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and
that appropriate credit has been given where reference has
been made to the work of others

This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is
copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be
published with proper acknowledgement

©2014 The University of Leeds and Andrew Taylor
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Acknowledgements
This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support of my Supervisors,
Dr Darron Dixon-Hardy and Mr Stephen Wright who gave advice and assistance without
hesitation throughout the process.
Additionally the support of family has been unwavering and has been vital in helping me
move forward in the research and writing of this thesis, so thanks must be given to Mum,
Dad, Keith and Clare.
Friends have also been fundamental in helping me get through the toughest of times and
encouraging me to continue with this venture. Accordingly I would like to thank Will, Allison,
Jon, Carl and my best friend Liz, without whom I would not have achieved many things
including this thesis.
Credit must also be given to the bundle of energetic joy who reminded me of all the good
things in life when I struggled to remember that…..this thesis is dedicated to Charlize.
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Abstract
From January 2005 to December 2011 there were 1007 General Aviation, fixed wing
accident reports published by the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch. These ranged from
minor events to fatal accidents, of which there were 55, killing 88 people. The data and
information from these reports was collated and analysed to determine main and
contributory causal factors with a view to formulating improvements to the current training
and support mechanisms within the industry. A survey was also conducted among the UK
General Aviation population to gauge the levels of experience, license level and other
information with which the accident data could be compared, ultimately showing that
although accident pilots were more experienced than the surveyed population of UK
General Aviation pilots, they had less aircraft type experience. The accident data and survey
results both mutually and independently highlighted areas of concern within General
Aviation activities, such as the maintenance of flight currency, a lack of basic flight skills,
poor decision making and an absence of any form of resource management. Some of these
issues are more systemic in nature providing opportunity for additions and enhancements
to be made to theoretical instruction, practical flight training and the support that General
Aviation (GA) pilots receive, particularly those who fly with Private Pilot Licences, who make
up the majority of this field of aviation. A rigid system of pilot monitoring to ensure currency
is maintained and that appropriate procedures are followed prior to hire of an aircraft is
also currently absent, being an area examined within the thesis. Proposals are presented to
cover all these topics and conclusions drawn that whilst UK General Aviation is well
regulated, the data and survey show there to be a need for improvements to be made,
above and beyond the new syllabus being brought in under European Aviation Safety
Agency regulations (EASA Part-FCL PPL, 2013).
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Table of Contents
Title page 1
Declarations 2
Acknowledgements 3
Abstract 4
Table of Contents 5
List of Tables and Figures 17
Chapter 1: Introduction 20
1.1: Reasons for the thesis 20
1.2: The constitution of an aviation accident 21
1.3: The challenges 22
1.4: The value of this thesis to the ga industry 23
Chapter 2: A Review of Literature 24
Chapter 3: An Overview of General Aviation in the United Kingdom and the Associated Pilot
Demographic 30
3.1: An overview of GA in the UK 30
3.1.1: GA defined 30
3.1.2: Pilot categories and associated licenses 31
3.1.3: Training for the (N)PPL 34
3.1.3.i: Theoretical examinations 36
3.1.3.ii: Medical requirements 37
3.1.3.iii: The flight test 37
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3.1.3.iv: License privileges 38
3.1.4: Becoming a Commercial Pilot 38
3.1.4.i: The modular route 39
3.1.4.ii: The integrated course 39
3.1.5: Post licensure flying in UK GA 40
3.1.6: The cost of UK GA flying 40
3.1.7: Summary of Part 1 42
3.2: The UK GA survey and pilot demographic 43
3.2.1: Reasons for undertaking the survey 43
3.2.2: Gathering and using the data 43
3.2.3: Pilot age 44
3.2.4: Licenses and ratings 46
3.2.5: Reasons for flying 47
3.2.6: Aircraft classifications 47
3.2.7: Frequency of flying 48
3.2.8: Pilot flight experience 50
3.2.9: Discussion 52
3.2.10: Summary of Part 2 55
Chapter 4: Decision Making in an Emergency 56
4.1: Decision making and its importance in aviation 56
4.2: The decision making process 57
4.3: The effects of stress 58
4.4: Situational awareness 60
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4.5: Crew and single pilot resource management 60
4.6: Summary 60
Chapter 5: UK GA Accident Data Summary 62
5.1: An introduction to the AAIB and the accident reporting process 62
5.2: Gathering the sample data 65
5.3: Separation and categorisation of data 66
5.4: Sample pilot experience and age 67
5.5: Injuries sustained 67
5.6: Licenses held by sample pilots 68
5.7: Human factors 68
5.8: Causes, accident categories and additional information 70
5.8.1: Airmanship 71
5.8.2: Controlled flight into terrain 72
5.8.3: Loss of control 73
5.8.4: Meteorology 75
5.8.5: Technical failures 76
5.9: Phase of flight 77
5.10: Summary 78
Chapter 6: The Influence of Human Traits on UK GA Accidents 79
6.1: The role of age and experience in UK GA accidents 79
6.1.1: Introduction 79
6.1.2: Previous deliberations over age and experience 79
6.1.3: Reasons for comparative discussions on experience 80
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6.1.4: Other considerations 81
6.1.5: Gathering and analysing the data 81
6.1.6: Data analysis 83
6.1.6.i: Mean age and distribution 83
6.1.6.ii: Pilot flight experience 84
6.1.6.iii: Human factors 86
6.1.6.iv: Accident type 87
6.1.6.v: Injuries sustained 87
6.1.7: Discussion: 88
6.1.7.i: Means and distribution 88
6.1.7.ii: Age and flight experience 89
6.1.7.iii: Habits and training 89
6.1.7.iv: Accident type 90
6.1.7.v: Injuries sustained 91
6.1.8: Summary of Part 1 91
6.2: Human factor accidents and their relationship with pilot experience 93
6.2.1: Introduction 93
6.2.2: The connections between GA and commercial aviation 93
6.2.3: Pilot experience; the arguments 94
6.2.4: Expertise 95
6.2.5: Gathering and analysing the data 95
6.2.6: Data analysis 97
6.2.6.i: Findings; initial numbers and HFACS
hierarchy classification 97
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6.2.6.ii: Total and type experience 98
6.2.6.iii: Currency 99
6.2.6.iv: Experience grouping 99
6.2.6.v: Injuries sustained 101
6.2.7: Discussion 101
6.2.7.i: Flying experience 101
6.2.7.ii: Currency 102
6.2.7.iii: Distribution of experience 102
6.2.7.iv: Highly experienced pilots 103
6.2.8: Summary of part 2 104
6.3: Accidents as a result of detrimental airmanship 105
6.3.1: Introduction 105
6.3.2: Airmanship defined 105
6.3.3: Fatal mid-air collisions and potential causes 105
6.3.3.i: Contributory causes 107
6.3.3.ii: Mid-air collision recommendations 109
6.3.4: Other collision accidents 110
6.3.4.i: Approach and landing 111
6.3.4.ii: Experience levels 113
6.3.5: Complacency an issue? 113
6.3.6: Going around on landing 113
6.3.7: Experience levels, causes and recommendations 115
6.3.8: Additional airmanship accidents 116
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6.3.8.i: Aircraft performance 116
6.3.9: Summary of Part 3 117
Chapter 7: Main Causes of UK GA Accidents 118
7.1: Loss of control 118
7.1.1: Initial data examination 118
7.1.2: LOC as an aviation phenomenon 120
7.1.3: Experience as a causal factor 121
7.1.4: LOC in visual and meteorological conditions 122
7.1.5: Stalling and spinning 125
7.1.5.i: Stall prevention over stall recovery 127
7.1.6: Movement of the air 127
7.1.7: Expertise as a factor 130
7.1.8: Landing 132
7.1.9: Level of license 134
7.1.10: Summary of Part 1 136
7.2: Controlled flight into terrain and meteorological influences 137
7.2.1: General meteorological influences 137
7.2.2: Sample data; the incidence of CFIT 137
7.2.3: Areas of concern 138
7.2.4: Summary of Part 2 140
7.3: Technical failures in UK GA accidents 141
7.3.1: The nature of technical failures 141
7.3.2: GA accident rates compared to commercial operations 141