The lessons from tragic accidents following flight into cloud or
poor visibility are often ignored or forgotten, according to the
ATSB. Some pilots who are only qualified to fly when visibility is
good (visual flight) remain exposed to significant risk of a fatal
accident.
To fly in cloudy or foggy conditions, pilots need an instrument
flight rules rating. A booklet released by the ATSB today
highlights the dangers of pilots without an instrument rating
flying into bad weather.
With 14 fatalities in the past five years, general aviation
accidents involving visual flights entering cloud remain a
significant concern in aviation safety.
ATSB General Manager Strategic Capability, Mr Julian Walsh, said
these accidents were all the more tragic because they were
avoidable.
'We want to encourage pilots, no matter what their experience
level, to develop the knowledge and skills to avoid unintentionally
flying into bad weather.'
'Weather does not always act as the forecast predicts. If the
weather starts to deteriorate, unqualified pilots should make an
early decision to turn back or divert before they are caught in
cloud,' Mr Walsh said.
'Before they take-off pilots need to carefully plan their
flights and get up-to-date weather forecasts. If there's any doubt,
don't fly.'
The report, the latest in the ATSB's 'Avoidable Accidents'
series, presents case studies on the dangers of flying visual
flight rules in deteriorating weather. It focuses on the key safety
lessons learnt from each of these cases.
The booklet describes strategies for pilots to avoid the dangers
of flying into adverse weather conditions, including:
- pre-flight planning
- considering alternate plans in case of an unexpected change in
the weather - making timely decisions to turn back or divert
- using a 'personal minimums' checklist to help control and
manage flight risks, including marginal weather conditions.
Accidents
involving Visual Flight Rules pilots in Instrument Meteorological
Conditions