A Scoping Review of Aviation Loss of Control Inflight Research

Loss of control – inflight (LOC-I) contributes to aircraft accidents at unacceptably high rates. Significant industry efforts and research have aimed to improve LOC-I prevention, detection, and recovery. This scoping review of literature systematically analyzed LOC-I literature between 2014 and 2024. The scoping review synthesized research findings and recommendations from 116 relevant articles. The research findings and recommendations were also categorized using the SHELL model to identify prevalent and understudied themes. Significant research has examined angle of attack indicators, integrated flight directors, automated LOC-I avoidance, detection, and recovery systems, as well as associated nonlinear aerodynamic modeling. Additionally, human performance shaping through training programs, integration of LOC detection and avoidance equipment in standard operating procedures, and enhanced operations monitoring have received moderate attention. Few studies examined environmental influences on LOC-I or their interfaces with personnel actions. A mere seven studies examined the complexities of human-to-human interfaces for LOC-I prevention or recovery. This article elaborates on prevalent research themes and areas for potential research.