Sermon Tone Analysis

JULY 16 MARKS the anniversary of the death of John F. Kennedy, Jr., his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and Carolyn's sister, *Lauren*, who perished on their way to *Martha's Vineyard*, when their plane, piloted by Kennedy, crashed.

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The *National Transportation Safety Board*, after a lengthy investigation, concluded that Kennedy suffered from *spatial disorientation*, a condition that arises from a *loss of balance* in the inner ear and causes confusion.

Kennedy's problems were exacerbated by the *hazy night sky* and his inability to see the *horizon*.

The NTSB also said investigators did not find any mechanical problems with Kennedy's plane, a Piper Saratoga II.

 

*NTSB Identification*: NYC99MA178 \\ \\

*Date:*16 July 1999 \\ \\

*Location: *Vineyard Haven, MA \\ \\

*Aircraft*: Piper PA-32R-301 (Saratoga), registration: N9253N

 

The non-instrument-rated pilot obtained weather forecasts for a cross-country flight from Caldwell, NJ to Hyannis, MA with a stop in Martha's Vineyard, MA.

The forecast indicated visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with clear skies and visibilities that varied between 4 to 10 miles along his intended route.

The pilot then departed on a dark night.

According to radar data, about 34 miles west of Martha's Vineyard Airport, while crossing a 30-mile stretch of water to its destination, the airplane began a descent that varied between 400 to 800 feet per minute (fpm).

About 7 miles from the approaching shore, the airplane began a right turn.

The airplane stopped its descent at 2,200 feet, then climbed back to 2,600 feet and entered a left turn.

While in the left turn, the airplane began another descent that reached about 900 fpm.

While still in the descent, the airplane entered a right turn.

During this turn, the airplane's rate of descent, eventually exceeded 4,700 fpm, and the airplane struck the water in a nose-down attitude.

Airports along the coast reported visibilities between 5 and 8 miles.

Other pilots flying similar routes on the night of the accident reported no visual horizon while flying over the water because of haze.

The pilot's estimated total flight experience was about 310 hours, of which 55 hours were at night.

The pilot's estimated flight time in the accident airplane was about 36 hours, of which about 9.4 hours were at night.

About 3 hours of that time was without a certified flight instructor (CFI) on board, and about 0.8 hour of that was flown at night and included a night landing.

In the 15 months before the accident, the pilot had flown either to or from the destination area about 35 times.

The pilot flew at least 17 of these flight legs without a CFI on board, of which 5 were at night.

*Within 100 days before the accident, the pilot had completed about 50 percent of a formal instrument-training course*.

A Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular (AC) 61-27C, "Instrument Flying: Coping with Illusions in Flight," states that illusions or false impressions occur when information provided by sensory organs is misinterpreted or inadequate and that many illusions in flight could be caused by complex motions and certain visual scenes encountered under adverse weather conditions and at night.

The AC also states that some illusions might lead to spatial disorientation or the inability to determine accurately the altitude or motion of the aircraft in relation to the earth's surface.

The AC further states that spatial disorientation, as a result of continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions, is regularly near the top of the cause~/factor list in annual statistics on fatal aircraft accidents.

According to AC 60-4A, "Pilot's Spatial Disorientation," tests conducted with qualified instrument pilots indicated that it can take as long as *35 seconds* to establish full control by instruments after a loss of visual reference of the earth's surface.

AC 60-4A further states that surface references and the natural horizon may become obscured even though visibility may be above VFR minimums and that an inability to perceive the natural horizon or surface references is common during flights over water, at night, in sparsely populated areas, and in low-visibility conditions.

Examination of the airframe, systems, avionics, and engine did not reveal any evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

 

q       The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night, which was a result of spatial disorientation.

Factors in the accident were haze, and the dark night.

The AC further states that the most hazardous illusions that lead to spatial disorientation are created by information received from motion sensing systems, which are located in each inner ear.

The AC also states that the sensory organs in these systems detect angular acceleration in the pitch, yaw, and roll axes, and a sensory organ detects gravity and linear acceleration and that, in flight, the motion sensing system may be stimulated by motion of the aircraft alone or in combination with head and body movement.

The AC lists some of the major illusions leading to spatial disorientation as follows: \\ \\

q       *The leans* - A banked attitude, to the left for example, may be entered too slowly to set in motion the fluid in the 'roll' semicircular tubes.

An abrupt correction of this attitude can now set the fluid in motion and so create the illusion of a banked attitude to the right.

The disoriented pilot may make the error of rolling the aircraft back into the original left-banked attitude or, if level flight is maintained, will feel compelled to lean to the left until this illusion subsides.

q       *Coriolis illusion* - An abrupt head movement made during a prolonged constant-rate turn may set the fluid in more than one semicircular tube in motion, creating the strong illusion of turning or accelerating, in an entirely different axis.

The disoriented pilot may maneuver the aircraft into a dangerous attitude in an attempt to correct this illusory movement....

 

q       *Graveyard spiral* - In a prolonged coordinated, constant-rate turn, the fluid in the semicircular tubes in the axis of the turn will cease its movement...An observed loss altitude in the aircraft instruments and the absence of any sensation of turning may create the illusion of being in a descent with the wings level.

The disoriented pilot may pull back on the controls, tightening the spiral and increasing the loss of altitude....

 

q       *Inversion illusion* - An abrupt change from climb to straight-and-level flight can excessively stimulate the sensory organs for gravity and linear acceleration, creating the illusion of tumbling backwards.

The disoriented pilot may push the aircraft abruptly into a nose-low attitude, possibly intensifying this illusion.

q       *Elevator illusion* - An abrupt upward vertical acceleration, as can occur in a helicopter or an updraft, can shift vision downwards (visual scene moves upwards) through excessive stimulation of the sensory organs for gravity and linear acceleration, creating the illusion of being in a climb.

The disoriented pilot may push the aircraft into a nose low attitude.

An abrupt downward vertical acceleration, usually in a downdraft, has the opposite effect, with the disoriented pilot pulling the aircraft into a nose-up attitude....

 

q       *Autokinesis* - In the dark, a stationary light will appear to move about when stared at for many seconds.

The disoriented pilot could lose control of the aircraft in attempting to align it with the false movements of this light."

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\\ The AC also states that these undesirable sensations cannot be completely prevented but that they can be ignored or sufficiently suppressed by pilots' developing an "absolute" reliance upon what the flight instruments are reporting about the attitude of their aircraft.

The AC further states that practice and experience in instrument flying are necessary to aid pilots in discounting or overcoming false sensations.

\\ \\ Further, the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3, chapter 10, states the following about night flying and its affect on spatial orientation: \\ \\ "Night flying requires that pilots be aware of, and operate within, their abilities and limitations.

Although careful planning of any flight is essential, night flying demands more attention to the details of preflight preparation and planning.

Preparation for a night flight should include a thorough review of the available weather reports and forecasts with particular attention given to temperature~/dewpoint spread.

A narrow temperature~/dewpoint spread may indicate the possibility of ground fog.

Emphasis should also be placed on wind direction and speed, since its effect on the airplane cannot be as easily detected at night as during the day...Night flying is very different from day flying and demands more attention of the pilot.

The most noticeable difference is the limited availability of outside visual references.

Therefore, flight instruments should be used to a greater degree in controlling the airplane.

Under no circumstances should a VFR night-flight be made during poor or marginal weather conditions unless both the pilot and aircraft are certificated and equipped for flight under...IFR...Crossing large bodies of water at night in single-engine airplanes could be potentially hazardous, not only from the standpoint of landing (ditching) in the water, but also because with little or no lighting the horizon blends with the water, in which case, depth perception and orientation become difficult.

During poor visibility conditions over water, the horizon will become obscure, and may result in a loss of orientation.

Even on clear nights, the stars may be reflected on the water surface, which could appear as a continuous array of lights, thus making the horizon difficult to identify."

\\ \\ According to AC 60-4A, "Pilot's Spatial Disorientation," tests conducted with qualified instrument pilots indicated that it can take as long as 35 seconds to establish full control by instruments after a loss of visual reference of the earth's surface.

AC 60-4A further states that surface references and the natural horizon may become obscured even though visibility may be above VFR minimums and that an inability to perceive the natural horizon or surface references is common during flights over water, at night, in sparsely populated areas, and in low-visibility conditions.

\\ \\ A book titled, Night Flying, by Richard Haines and Courtney Flatau, provides some additional information concerning vertigo and disorientation.

It states the following: \\ \\ "Vestibular disorientation refers to the general feeling that one's flight path isn't correct in some way.

By calling this effect vestibular, it emphasizes the role played by the middle ear's balance organ.

Flying an uncoordinated turn produces this effect as does excessive head turning during a turn in flight.

Vestibular disorientation is often subtle in its onset, yet it is the most disabling and dangerous of all disorientation."

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The saddest part of this whole story is that it was needless, the tragedy accentuated by what is needless.

1.

Gaining Your Instrument Rating

 

It could be reported many times over in the spiritual realm.

The people whose faith flights go down full speed crashing all the time, thinking that they are on a normal flight path in proper attitude to the earth around them.

Then suddenly – too late they meet the ground coming at them and it’s too late to make the correction to consult the instruments.

It’s over.

Faith drives us to what we can trust beyond our perceptions and sensations.

It is “instrument rating” for the Christain who is now prepared to navigate the storms and the confusion and complexities of life.

We encounter many deceptive perspectives that can be fatal for the Christian.

2 Corinthians 5: 7 We live by faith, not by sight.

So the shield of faith or faith’s shield is the trustworthy guidance system.

It provides direction and protection for the things in life that would lead us to destruction or devastation.

It begins with the acceptance of the fact that:

 

q       There is spiritual reality that has eternal consequence in my life.

q       I cannot possibly navigate on physical senses and instinct.

I must be willing to disavow my own instincts as the main guidance system.

The instinct to react or correct or to steer in a certain direction may be loud and overpowering but deadly.

It may sound very spiritual and yet not be reliable.

Christians are famous for conducting their own affairs, claiming divine guidance when it is nothing more than their own plans and agendas.

q       I have to learn to trust something more reliable than my instincts.

I have to become instrument rated.

The Bible and the guidance that comes through the flight instructor is essential.

I have to have connection to the tower.

q       A person’s faith is not something that grows within them independent of other things.

It is merely a response to a person’s personal revelation of God, to the love of God . .

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nothing more or less.

Our faith is great or small as our understanding of God is great or small.

Lord help us to hear your voice.

*It Can Be Done *

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*The ones who miss all the fun*