Door Opening In-Flight
In most instances, the occurrence of an inadvertent door opening is not of great concern to the safety of a flight, but rathe r, the pilot’s
reaction at the moment the incident happens. A door opening in flight may be accompanied by a sudden loud noise, sustained noise
level, and possible vibration or buffeting. If a pilot allows himself or herself to become distracted to the point where attention is
focused on the open door rather than maintaining control of the airplane, loss of control may result even though disruption of airflow
by the door is minimal.
In the event of an inadvertent door opening in flight or on takeoff, the pilot should adhere to the following:
⦁ Concentrate on flying the airplane. Particularly in light single and twin-engine airplanes; a cabin door that
opens in flight seldom if ever compromises the airplane’s ability to fly. There may be some handling
effects, such as roll and/or yaw, but in most instances these can be easily overcome.
⦁ If the door opens after lift-off, do not rush to land. Climb to normal traffic pattern altitude, fly a normal
tr
affic pattern, and make a normal landing.
⦁ Do not release the seat belt and shoulder harness in an attempt to reach the door. Leave the door alone.
and as soon as practicable, and close the door once safely on the ground.
⦁ Remember that most doors do not stay wide open. They usually bang open and then settle partly closed. A
lip towards the door may cause it to open wider; a slip away from the door may push it closed.
⦁ Do not panic. Try to ignore the unfamiliar noise and vibration. Also, do not rush. Attempting to get the
air
plane on the ground as quickly as possible may result in steep turns at low altitude.
⦁ Complete all items on the landing checklist.
⦁ Remember that accidents are almost never caused by an open door. Rather, an open door accident is caused
by th e pilot’s distraction or failure to maintain control of the airplane.
Inadvertent VFR Flight Into IMC
It is beyond the scope of this handbook to incorporate a course of training in basic attitude instrument flying. This information is
contained in the Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15). Certain pilot certificates and/or associated ratings require training in
instrument flying and a demonstration of specific instrument flying tasks on the practical test.
Pilots and flight instructors should refer to the Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H- 8083-15) for guidance in the performance of
these tasks and to the appropriate airman certification standards (ACS) for information on the evaluation of tasks performed for the
particular certificate level and/or rating. The pilot should remember, however, that unless these tasks are practiced on a continuing
and regular basis, skill erosion begins almost immediately. In a very short time, the pilot’s assumed level of confidence is much
higher than the performance he or she is actually able to demonstrate should the need arise.
Accident statistics show that the pilot who has not been trained in attitude instrument flying, or one whose instrument skills have
eroded, lose control of the airplane in about 10 minutes once forced to rely solely on instrument references. The purpose of this
section is to provide guidance on practical emergency measures to maintain airplane control for a limited period of time in the event a
VFR pilot encounters instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The main goal is not precision instrument flying; rather, it is to
help the VFR pilot keep the airplane under adequate control until suitable visual references are regained.
The first steps necessary for surviving an encounter with IMC by a VFR pilot are as follows:
⦁ Recognition and acceptance of the seriousness of the situation and the need for immediate remedial action
⦁ Maintaining control of the airplane
⦁ Obtaining the appropriate assistance to get the airplane safely on the ground
Recognition
Anytime a VFR pilot is unable to maintain airplane attitude control by reference to the natural horizon, the condition is considered to
be IMC regardless of the circumstances or the prevailing weather conditions. Whether the cause is inadventent or intentional, the
VFR pilot is, in effect, in IMC if unable to navigate or establish geographical position by visual reference to landmarks on the
surface. These situations should be accepted by the pilot involved as a genuine emergency requiring appropriate action.
Pilots should understand that unless they are trained, qualified, and current in the control of an airplane solely by reference to flight
instruments, they will be unable to do so for any length of time. Many hours of VFR flying using the attitude indicator as a reference
for airplane control may lull pilots into a false sense of security based on an overestimation of their personal ability to control the
airplane solely by instrument references. In VFR conditions, even though the pilot believes the instrument references will be easy to
use, the pilot also receives an overview of the natural horizon and may subconsciously rely on it more than the attitude indicator. If
the natural horizon were to suddenly disappear, the untrained instrument pilot would be subject to vertigo, spatial disorientation, and
inevitable control loss.
Maintaining Airplane Control
Once the pilot recognizes and accepts the situation, he or she should understand that the only way to control the airplane safely is by
using and trusting the flight instruments. Attempts to control the airplane partially by reference to flight instruments while searching
outside of the airplane for visual confirmation of the information provided by those instruments results in inadequate airplane control.
This may be followed by spatial disorientation and complete control loss.
The most important point to be stressed is that the pilot should not panic. The task at hand may seem overwhelming, and the situation
may be compounded by extreme apprehension. However, the pilot should make a conscious effort to relax. The pilot needs to
understand the most important concern —in fact the only concern at this point —is to keep the wings level. An uncontrolled turn or
bank usually leads to difficulty in achieving the objectives of any desired flight condition, but good bank control has the effect of
making pitch control much easier.
The pilot should remember that a person cannot feel control pressures with a tight grip on the controls. Relaxing and learning to
“control with the eyes and the brain,” instead of only the muscles usually takes considerable conscious effort.
The pilot needs to believe what the flight instruments show about the airplane’s attitude regardless of what the natural senses tell. The
vestibular sense (motion sensing by the inner ear) can and will confuse the pilot. Because of inertia, the sensory areas of the inner ear
cannot detect slight changes in airplane attitude, nor can they accurately sense attitude changes that occur at a uniform rate over a
period of time. On the other hand, false sensations are often generated, leading the pilot to believe the attitude of the airplane has
changed when, in fact, it has not. These false sensations result in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation.
Attitude Control
An airplane is, by design, an inherently stable platform and, except in turbulent air, maintains approximately straight-and-level flight
if properly trimmed and left alone. It is designed to maintain a state of equilibrium in pitch, roll, and yaw. The pilot should be aware,
however, that a change about one axis affects the stability of the others. The typical light airplane exhibits a good deal of stability in
the yaw axis, slightly less in the pitch axis, and even lesser still in the roll axis. The key to emergency airplane attitude control,
therefore, is to:
⦁ Trim the airplane with the elevator trim so that it maintains hands-off level flight at cruise airspeed.
⦁ Resist the tendency to over-control the airplane. Fly the attitude indicator with fingertip control. No attitude
changes should be made unless the flight instruments indicate a definite need for a change.
⦁ Make all attitude changes smooth and small, yet with positive pressure. Remember that a small change as
in
dicated on the horizon bar corresponds to a proportionately much larger change in actual airplane
attitude.
⦁ Make use of any available aid in attitude control, such as autopilot or wing leveler.
The primary instrument for attitude control is the attitude indicator. [Figure 18-12] Once the airplane is trimmed so that it maintains
hands-off level flight at cruise airspeed, that airspeed need not vary until the airplane is slowed for landing. All turns, climbs, and
descents can and should be made at this airspeed. Straight flight is maintained by keeping the wings level using “fingertip pressure”
on the control wheel. Any pitch attitude change should be made by using no more than one bar width up or down.
Figure 18-12. Attitude indicator.
Turns
Turns are perhaps the most potentially dangerous maneuver for the untrained instrument pilot for two reasons:
⦁ The normal tendency of the pilot to over-control, leading to steep banks and the possibility of a “graveyard
spiral.”
⦁ The inability of the pilot to cope with the instability resulting from the turn.
When a turn is to be made, the pilot should anticipate and cope with the relative instability of the roll axis. The smallest practical
bank angle should be used —in any case no more than 10 ° bank angle. [Figure 18-13] A shallow bank takes very little vertical lift
from the wings resulting in little if any deviation in altitude. It may be helpful to turn a few degrees and then return to level flight if a
large change in heading is necessary. Repeat the process until the desired heading is reached. This process may relieve the
progressive overbanking that often results from prolonged turns.
Figure 18-13. Level turn.
Climbs
If a climb is necessary, the pilot should raise the miniature airplane on the attitude indicator no more than one bar width and apply
power. [Figure 18-14] The pilot should not attempt to attain a specific climb speed but accept whatever speed results. The objective
is to deviate as little as possible from level flight attitude in order to disturb the airplane’s equilibrium as little as po ssible. If the
airplane is properly trimmed, it assumes a nose-up attitude on its own commensurate with the amount of power applied. Torque and
P-factor cause the airplane to have a tendency to bank and turn to the left. This should be anticipated and compensated for. If the
initial power application results in an inadequate rate of climb, power should be increased in increments of 100 rpm or 1 inch of
manifold pressure until the desired rate of climb is attained. Maximum available power is seldom necessary. The more power that is
used, the more the airplane wants to bank and turn to the left. Resuming level flight is accomplished by first decreasing pitch attitude
to level on the attitude indicator using slow but deliberate pressure, allowing airspeed to increase to near cruise value and then
decreasing power.
Figure 18-14. Level climb.
Descents
Descents are very much the opposite of the climb procedure if the airplane is properly trimmed for hands-off straight-and-level flight.
In this configuration, the airplane requires a certain amount of thrust to maintain altitude. The pitch attitude is controlling the
airspeed. The engine power, therefore, (translated into thrust by the propeller) is maintaining the selected altitude. Following a power
reduction, however slight, there is an almost imperceptible decrease in airspeed. However, even a slight change in speed results in
less down load on the tail, whereupon the designed nose heaviness of the airplane causes it to pitch down just enough to maintain the
airspeed for which it was trimmed. The airplane then descends at a rate directly proportionate to the amount of thrust that has been
removed. Power reductions should be made in increments of 100 rpm or 1 inch of manifold pressure and the resulting rate of descent
should never exceed 500 fpm. The wings should be held level on the attitude indicator, and the pitch attitude should not exceed one
bar width below level. [Figure 18-15]
Figure 18-15. Level descent.
Combined Maneuvers
Combined maneuvers, such as climbing or descending turns, should be avoided if at all possible by an untrained instrument pilot.
Combining maneuvers only compounds the problems encountered in individual maneuvers and increases the risk of control loss. The
objective is to keep the airplane under control by maintaining as much of the airplane’s natural equilibrium as possible. Deviating as
little as possible from straight-and-level flight attitude makes this much easier.
When being assisted by ATC, the pilot may detect a sense of urgency while being directed to change heading and/or altitude. This
sense of urgency reflects a normal concern for safety on the part of the controller. Nevertheless, the pilot should not let this prompting
lead to rushing into a maneuver that could result in loss of control. It's reasonable to ask the controller to slow down, if this becomes
an issue.
Transition to Visual Flight
One of the most difficult tasks a trained and qualified instrument pilot contends with is the transition from instrument to visual flight
prior to landing. For the untrained instrument pilot, these difficulties are magnified.
The difficulties center around acclimatization and orientation. On an instrument approach, the trained instrument pilot prepares in
advance for the transition to visual flight. The pilot has a mental picture of what to expect when the transition to visual flight is made
and will quickly acclimate to the new environment. Geographical orientation also begins before the transition, as the pilot visualizes
where the airplane is in relation to the airport/runway.
In an ideal situation, the transition to visual flight is made with ample time, at a sufficient altitude above terrain, and to visibility
conditions sufficient to accommodate acclimatization and geographical orientation. This, however, is not always the case. The
untrained instrument pilot may find the visibility still limited, the terrain completely unfamiliar, and altitude above terrain such that a
“normal” airport traffic pattern and landing approach is not possible. Additionally, the pilot is most likely under considerable self-
induced psychological pressure to get the airplane on the ground. The pilot should take this into account and, if possible, allow time
to become acclimatized and geographically oriented before attempting an approach and landing, even if it means flying straight and
level for a time or circling the airport. This is especially true at night.
Emergency Response Systems
Airplanes may have installed systems that provide alternatives in certain emergency situations. For example, ballistic parachute
systems, if installed, may be deployed in an emergency allowing an airplane to descend slowly enough toward the ground such that
occupants usually survive the resulting impact with minor or no injuries. Airplanes may also have an Emergency Autoland (EAL)
system, which can take over control of the aircraft when necessary for a safe outcome.
Ballistic Parachutes
Deployment of an airplane ballistic parachute system results in the loss of the airframe, but deploying such systems within a n
acceptable flight regime prevents injuries and saves lives. Pilots need to understand and follow the procedures for arming an d
disarming these systems before and after flight, and understand the conditions under which the system would be deployed. For
example, a catastrophic loss of controllability due to a collision or mechanical failure, actual loss of control, or pilot incapacitation
would qualify. Pilots should brief passengers with access to any deployment mechanism regarding the conditions for a safe
deployment. Generally, the passenger would deploy the system only if the pilot were incapacitated. At a minimum, the pilot should
also brief the passengers regarding the basic sequence of steps for deployment. Pilots should study the information provided by
manufacturers and suppliers of these systems and follow the guidance provided.
The system design may include airplane components designed to absorb the forces of vertical impact. The design of landing gear and
seats maximize the protection afforded to the occupants and extend the time over which impact forces are absorbed. Once on th e
ground, there are hazards associated with a deployed parachute and the effect of surface winds, and the occupants should know the
procedures for evacuation.
Autoland
If the EAL senses erratic flying, it stabilizes the aircraft, and checks for pilot responsiveness. Without further input, the EAL initiates
an emergency descent. Without pilot responsiveness after an emergency descent, EAL initiates the process for an automated landing.
The system also allows for manual activation by a pilot or a passenger.
Once activated, the EAL system transmits automated radio broadcasts on the aircraft’s last selected frequency and on Guard (121.5
MHz) to alert controllers or pilots in the area of the EAL aircraft’s imminent arrival to the selected runway. The system repeatedly
transmits the call sign and intention to divert to a particular airport and runway using a recognizable non-human synthesized voice.
Additionally, EAL sets the transponder to squawk 7700 to indicate an emergency. After the initial broadcast, the system pauses for 25
seconds to allow air traffic control (ATC) to communicate with potential conflicting traffic. Once the EAL aircraft is within 12 miles
of the selected runway and at or below 12,000 feet MSL, it broadcasts on the tower frequency or Common Traffic Advisory
Frequency (CTAF), and continues to broadcast its position via ADS- B. It announces its call sign,“pilot incapacitation,” its position
relative to the destination airport, gives the airport and airport identifier, and the time to landing on a specific runway at that airport.
The system makes a similar “one-minute out” broadcast prior to landing.
The EAL system selects a suitable landing airfield based on several factors. These factors include weather, wind, runway length, and
towered/non-towered airport status. EAL only considers airports with an area navigation (RNAV) or Global Positioning System
(GPS) approach, selects towered airports over non-towered airports where possible, and uses runway requirements that depend on the
aircraft type. EAL systems also utilize obstacle and a terrain databases. If the system loses GPS coverage, the airplane continues
straight flight without attempting to land until GPS coverage resumes.
Currently EAL system capabilities do not include detecting and avoiding other aircraft; receiving or reacting to ATC instructions or
Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs); avoiding military operations areas (MOAs), special use airspace (SUA), Restricted Areas, or
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs); or turning on aircraft lights.
Chapter Summary
This chapter provided general guidance and recommended procedures that may apply to light single-engine airplanes involved in
certain emergency situations. The information presented is intended to enhance the general knowledge of emergency operations with
the clear understanding that the manufacturer’s recommended emergency procedures take precedence.
Information was provided concerning failure of the pitot-static system in aircraft with EFIS. The redundancy of backup systems for
IFR flight may be less than desired if both the primary and backup instrumentation may receive signal data input from the same pitot-
static source. The failure indications of EFIS may be entirely different from conventional instruments making recognition of system
malfunction much more difficult for the pilot. Lack of system standardization compounds the problem making equipment specific
information and knowledge an important asset when analyzing electronic display malfunctions. The inability to simulate certain
failure modes during training and evaluation could make the pilot less prepared for an actual emergency. As electronic avionics
become more advanced, the training and proficiency needed to safely operate these systems should receive careful analysis.