AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2016 - 20

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

Hangin' on the stabs

BY GEORGE PERRY

Catching up when you're behind the airplane
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE PHRASE "hangin' on
the stabs"? It's the military equivalent of what general aviation pilots call being "behind the airplane."
Referring to the horizontal stabilizer, it's a great way
to visualize what happens when a pilot gets busy and
overwhelmed. That can happen to pilots in training,
when trying something new, or when flying in conditions that push the limits of their proficiency.
An example of this was tragically highlighted in
a June 2016 NTSB report that detailed the crash of
an Embraer Phenom 100 on approach to Montgomery
County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The report
provides some insight into the background, training,
and procedural lapses that paint a picture of a pilot
who was wearing too big a hat, was behind the airplane, and didn't recognize it.

Whether flying a single-engine piston or a highperformance jet aircraft, we need to train ourselves
to recognize when we are "hanging on the stabs."

GEORGE PERRY

is senior vice
president of the
AOPA Air Safety
Institute.

20 | AOPA PILOT August 2016

The pilot, who was an accomplished medical doctor, errantly programmed the flight management
system (FMS) with incorrect weight settings and
didn't use the aircraft's anti-ice systems in icing
conditions. The data entry errors resulted in an FMScalculated VREF speed, or reference landing approach
speed, of 92 knots. The correct approach speed for the
airplane's actual weight was 126 knots, and the antiice systems should have been turned on. The airplane
was flying a whopping 34 knots too slow. With such a
slow approach speed and snow and ice contaminating
the wings, the aircraft succumbed to an aerodynamic
stall and hit the ground, killing the pilot, passengers,
and three people on the ground.
The NTSB said in a report, "[As] described by his
instructor, the pilot needed a considerable amount of
extra training to prepare for his checkride. Although
he was proficient by the time he passed his checkride, evidence from the flight before the accident
flight-as well as errors made by the pilot during the
accident flight-revealed significant weaknesses in
his capabilities."
History tells us that as pilots move up the performance ladder, they need a commensurate level

of training and some innate ability. What was not
contained in the report is that in 2010 this pilot had
experienced another landing mishap, in a Daher TBM
700, at the very same airport. Sometimes just because
a pilot can afford an aircraft doesn't mean he or she is
capable of flying it in challenging conditions. Whether
flying a single-engine piston or a high-performance jet
aircraft, what's important to learn from this mishap is
that we need to train ourselves to recognize when we
are "hanging on the stabs." Only after we recognize
this can we take action and improve the situation so
that small mistakes don't add up to big consequences.
What indicators show pilots are getting behind
their aircraft? It usually starts with a gut feeling. If you
feel behind, rushed, or anxious, it's probably because
you are. Missed radio calls, small procedural errors,
or trouble working through a checklist may not be
concerning in isolation, but collectively these errors
become clear warning signs. Extra training with a
qualified CFI might be a good remedy. But what should
you do if and when this happens in the air? First, recognize the problem, and second, shed nonessential
tasks so your mind can catch up to the aircraft.
We've all heard the adage, "Aviate, navigate, then
communicate." From a task-shedding standpoint,
start at the bottom and work up. First, tell ATC what
you want or don't want. "Stand by" is a simple phrase
that lets ATC know you are busy. Conversely, if you
need something, such as a turn in holding to get organized, ask for it. Next is navigation. Unless there's a
mountain immediately in front of you, just fly straight
ahead. There's nothing wrong with going straight for
a bit. The last part, of course, is aviate. If you shed all
other duties and focus only on one thing-keeping the
airplane straight and level at an appropriate airspeed-
you give yourself time to catch up. Obviously, if aircraft
control is ever in question, shed your other duties and
focus solely on flying the airplane.
You may be able to use other cockpit resources if
you're feeling overwhelmed, such as asking a passenger or co-pilot to assist with duties, or engaging the
autopilot if your attention is needed elsewhere. Bottom
line: Don't let the inertia of a situation push you to the
point where you feel overwhelmed. Keep your mind
in the cockpit and not hangin' on the stabs.
AOPA
EMAIL george.perry@aopa.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - August 2016