This month, we’ll look at two fatal accidents both caused by encounters with spatial disorientation. One airplane — a sophisticated turboprop flown by an experienced business pilot — crashed in low visibility immediately after a rushed takeoff. The other victim was a private pilot in a relatively unsophisticated light twin who didn’t understand the threats lurking in the dark nighttime world he was entering.
Interestingly, the lessons to be taken from these incidents are identical and have at their foundation failed understanding of spatial disorientation.