10 YEARS OF ACCIDENTS AND CAUSAL FACTORS
THE GENERAL AVIATION JOINT STEERING COMMITTEE (GAJSC)
and Safety Analysis Team (SAT) continues to focus on
data-driven risks and solutions. To begin that process,
the fatal GA accident range of 2001—2010 was selected
for analysis, resulting in 2,472 total events. Accidents
were categorized using the common codes such as loss of
control—in-flight (LOC—I), controlled flight into terrain
(CFIT), system/component failure—powerplant (SCF—PP),
etc. Additionally, the type of aircraft was also categorized,
using homebuilt, turbine, and reciprocating non-
homebuilt, resulting in the chart seen here.
Loss of control (LOC) was identified far and away
as the most prevalent type of fatal GA accident with
1,190 fatal accidents followed by controlled flight into
terrain, with 432.
A risk reduction working group has been formed that
will study LOC accidents, beginning with those occurring
during the approach and landing phase of flight,
determine contributing factors, and develop intervention
strategies. EAA staff is actively participating in the
GAJSC, SAT, and a newly established working group in
our continuing efforts to reduce the fatal accident rate.
LOC-I
CFIT
SCF-PP
LALT
UNK
OTHR
FUEL
SCF-NP
MA
WSTRW
CTOL
USOS
GTOW
UIMC
GCOL
EVAC
ARC
SEC
ICE
F-POST
AMAN
TURB
LOC-G
RI-VAP
CABIN
RAMP
RE
F-NI
HOMEBUILT TURBINE RECIPNON-HOMEBUILT
DENIED, REVOKED, OR WITHDRAWN
By Sean Elliott, EAA Vice President, Industry & Regulatory Affairs
RECENTLY, I WAS
IN WASHINGTON
D.C., meeting
with several FAA
Headquarters staff
members. One of
my visits was with
Dr. Fred Tilton, the
Federal Air Surgeon.
Fred shared with
me an issue that is often overlooked by
pilots when securing a medical. It is the
issue of withdrawing from or terminating
an FAA medical exam once you have
started the application process by signing
the FAA medical application form, 8500-8.
The ability to fly using a valid state
issued driver’s license has been a major
accomplishment of the sport pilot
movement championed by EAA. We all
have read how the sport pilot driver’s
license authority and its related self-evaluation process works and are relatively
well versed on what happens to your ability
to fly if the FAA revokes or suspends your
medical certificate, or if during the medical
examination process the FAA finds that
you are not medically eligible to be issued
a medical certificate. These three actions
will also prohibit you from using your
driver’s license to fly as a sport pilot.
What most pilots fail to realize is
what the effect will be on your ability to
fly as a sport pilot if you withdraw your
medical certificate application. When
you sign the FAA medical certificate
application form 8500-8 and begin your
medical examination, you must complete
the process. It doesn’t matter if you are
applying for an initial medical examination,
renewing your existing medical certificate,
or seeking a FAA Special Issuance of your
medical certification. In all cases, once
you sign the medical application form and
submit it to your flight surgeon you have
initiated the medical certificate process,
which must be completed to be found
“medically eligible” to fly as a sport pilot
per FAR 61.303(b).
