What Is Spatial Disorientation?

The human body, but more specifically visual cues and the vestibular system allow us to determine when we are upright, sideways or turning. However, when visual references disappear the mind will tend to make up a false sense of which way is straight and level by relying mainly on the vestibular system. These false orientations created by an illusion have been deadly for many pilots, especially for those without any instrument training. Although having an instrument rating is not always the answer as every pilot can become disoriented and lose control if they do not believe in their instruments while disoriented. For these reasons spatial disorientation is the cause of many preventable accidents that led to a loss of control and become classified …show more content…
(Air Safety Foundation) There are three main categories spatial disorientation accidents fall into: VFR flight into IMC conditions, IFR flight in IMC conditions, and night VFR flight in VMC conditions. VFR pilots account for the majority of all these types of accidents but a fair amount of IFR rated pilots have gotten themselves killed by not believing their instruments as well. VFR flight into IMC conditions is the number one reason why pilots become disoriented. (Air Safety Foundation) Many of the pilots who fly into IMC conditions have lots of time to get out of the situation, but those who decide to continue flying in to deteriorating weather may find themselves disoriented. According to the Air safety foundation the main reason why pilots continue to fly in to deteriorating conditions is that they do not have a plan B to go to. Without a Plan B the pilots appear to have a tunnel vision view and decide that going forwards is the only option. By continuing the flight in deteriorating weather pilots with little experience in IMC conditions will become most at risk for spatial disorientation. Disorientation in VMC conditions mainly happens at night, in haze, or while flying over water; all of which can cause a pilot to lose sight of the horizon and find themselves losing control of their aircraft do to illusions created by their mind. The last category of spatial disorientation accidents is IFR in IMC conditions, these accidents have normally been the product of losing an instrument and having to fly partial panel. Over the last decade 113 pilots who were IFR rated crashed in IMC conditions due to spatial disorientation. (Air Safety