General Aviation Weather Encounter Case Studies

Civil Aerospace Medical Institute2012PDFTech ReportLanicci, JohnHalperin, DanielShappell, ScottHackworth, CarlaHolcomb, KaliBazargan, MassoudBaron, JaclynIden, RebeccaEmbry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Department of Civil EngineeringClemson UniversityCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteUnited States. Office of Aerospace MedicineCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteUnited StatesGeneral aviation pilotsWeatherWeather conditionsHazardsEducation and trainingCase studiesGeneral aviation pilotsWeather encounterWeather hazardWeather productEducation and trainingDOT/FAA/AM-12/11AM-HRR-521This study presents a compilation of 24 cases involving general aviation (GA) pilots\u2019 weather encounters over thecontinental U.S. The project team interviewed pilots who had experienced a weather encounter, and weexamined their backgrounds, flight experience, and weather encounter details. Results from meteorological dataanalysis for each weather encounter were consistent with findings of larger GA weather accident studies in termsof the types of hazards encountered and flight phase during which the encounters occurred. Investigation of pilotweather products and the sources from which they were obtained revealed a lack of uniformity of pre-flight datasources and underutilization of available en route flight information services. The team used these results todevelop a set of pilot weather education and training recommendations intended to reduce the number andseverity of weather encounters.119