Airplane Upsets: Old Problem, New Issues

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

Foster

2010

138

Loss of control remains one of the largest contributors to fatal aircraft accidents worldwide. Aircraft loss-of-control accidents are complex in that they can result from numerous causal and contributing factors acting alone or (more often) in combination. Hence, there is no single intervention strategy to prevent these accidents. To gain a better understanding into aircraft loss-of-control events and possible intervention strategies, this paper presents a detailed analysis of loss-of-control accident data (predominantly from Part 121), including worst case combinations of causal and contributing factors and their sequencing. Future potential risks are also considered.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aircraft Loss-of-Control Accident Analysis

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

Foster

2010

138

“…The third element of this sequence is a vehicle upset condition. A vehicle upset can be defined as "any uncommanded or inadvertent event with an abnormal aircraft attitude, rate of change of aircraft attitude, acceleration, airspeed, or flight trajectory," where "abnormal" must be determined relative to phase of flight and aircraft type 4 . As indicated in Figure 2, the LOC sequence can be broken (and the associated LOC accident prevented) if effective intervention strategies can be developed to avoid/detect adverse vehicle and external hazard conditions, mitigate them when they occur (in an effort to maintain acceptable vehicle dynamics properties and effective control capability, and to prevent vehicle upset), and upset recovery (if prevention is not successful).…”

Section: Adverse Onboard Conditions Includementioning

confidence: 99%

Future Integrated Systems Concept for Preventing Aircraft Loss-of-Control Accidents

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

Jacobson

2010

Loss of control remains one of the largest contributors to aircraft fatal accidents worldwide. Aircraft loss-of-control accidents are highly complex in that they can result from numerous causal and contributing factors acting alone or (more often) in combination. Hence, there is no single intervention strategy to prevent these accidents. This paper presents future system concepts and research directions for preventing aircraft loss-ofcontrol accidents.

“…2,3 It is also a complex event, usually resulting from multiple causal and contributing factors that can occur individually or (more often) in combination. There is therefore no single intervention strategy that can be readily identified to prevent LOC accidents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Loss of Control Prevention and Recovery: Onboard Guidance, Control, and Systems Technologies

AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference

2012

Loss of control (LOC) is one of the largest contributors to fatal aircraft accidents worldwide. LOC accidents are complex in that they can result from numerous causal and contributing factors acting alone or (more often) in combination. These LOC hazards include vehicle impairment conditions, external disturbances; vehicle upset conditions, and inappropriate crew actions or responses. Hence, there is no single intervention strategy to prevent these accidents. NASA previously defined a comprehensive research and technology development approach for reducing LOC accidents and an associated integrated system concept. Onboard technologies for improved situation awareness, guidance, and control for LOC prevention and recovery are needed as part of this approach. Such systems should include: LOC hazards effects detection and mitigation; upset detection, prevention and recovery; and mitigation of combined hazards. NASA is conducting research in each of these areas. This paper provides an overview of this research, including the near-term LOC focus and associated analysis, as well as preliminary flight system architecture.