Aircraft: Cirrus SR22. Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor. Location: Birmingham, Ala. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot was attempting to fly an ILS approach. Review of data revealed that the autopilot approach mode was armed as the airplane intercepted the localizer course and was descending to 2,600 feet MSL.
At that time, the autopilot was selected to vertical speed (VS) mode with the altitude armed rather than selected to the altitude mode, which is one of the criteria for automatically arming the glideslope (GS) mode later in the approach.
About one minute later, the autopilot automatically cancelled the VS mode and switched to altitude mode as the airplane reached 2,600 feet MSL.
However, at that time the airplane was above the glideslope by 53% needle deflection. The autopilot will not automatically arm the GS mode unless, in addition to the altitude mode being selected, the airplane is more than 10% needle deflection below the glideslope.
As a result, the airplane remained above the glideslope until the autopilot was disconnected about one minute later.
The pilot then attempted to hand-fly a missed approach, however, he was unable to maintain the heading or altitude assigned by air traffic control. He subsequently lost control of the airplane during a turn and elected to deploy the airplane’s parachute system. The airplane came to rest in a vacant lot.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control during a missed approach in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s overreliance on the autopilot system and his inability to hand-fly the airplane once the autopilot was disconnected.
NTSB Identification: ERA13LA012
This October 2012 accident report is are provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
I agree with the commenters. However I think the PFD’s, MFD’s, GPS’s, and autopilots are the best things that ever happened, and I wouldn’t want to go back. It is very frustrating that pilots with apparently serious deficiencies in basic flying skills become authorized to fly any airplane. But there has been a strong effort to correct this and the accident record has improved.
Technology has shown to be ridiculous in this instance – way to complex – i.e. disconnect this or that or automatically arm this or that. Pilot’s don’t need this kind of stupidity. There is a real disconnect with the computer people and what an “aviator” needs to be doing. This is not a computer game that we are playing and too many of this newer generation are relying on this stuff to their detriment. Of course the avionics people are going to push their stuff because this is a money issue. Coupled with that is the FAA that has so much information on a single approach plate with catagory this and that and whatever that you have to be a genius to figure out what applies to a particular approach. Way too complicated. KISS – keep it simple stupid………………..and take responsibility to fly the airplane first and don’t rely on the equipment or the FAA to keep you out of trouble…………..
Totally agree too many pilots have become “SYSADMINS” for autopilots and flight management systems.
In the steam gauge era, the systems were “simpler, but you had less likelihood of info overload, and you learned to succeed in very degraded modes–e.g try a partial panel (needle-ball) VOR / TACAN approach (worse yet–an ADF), and compound that with a spun directional gyro– that was a fave for the toughest instructors to inflict on USN flight students on an instrument check ride.. When you finished it, you were soaking wet, but you knew you could handle just about everything the plane could throw at you.
Not saying all this glass isn’t cool–but you still need to fly the plane, first and foremost!
read two injuries as opposed to two deaths tells you the parachute system works when all else fails?
I agree with Jack, just because technology is available in the aircraft doesn’t mean that it won’t fail. As pilots it is important that we keep up with stick and rudder flying so that when technology does the inevitable, we won’t be out in the cold without a jacket!
As a CFII I conduct many IPC’s and have realized that we have many “autopilot pilots’. I recently turned off the 530 of a pilot and requested the pilot proceed to the VOR and hold using the No. 2 VOR. No Clue. He could not even take me to the VOR . How sad! Our local examiner said that they are allowed to use everything in the aircraft on a checkride. Safety is always based on redundancy! We must be proficient with ALL of the systems. General aviation NEWS is outstanding! Keep up the good work!