There was a Kingair 200 that crashed taking off at night from Wondai, QLD. It would have been about 20 years ago. Wondai is a nice grass strip, a bit north of Kingaroy. Being a country area it doesn't have much in the way of surrounding lights ie close to none.
The accident report surmises that somatogravic effects were the cause. Nothing was found wrong with the plane or pilot's records
And this is what concerns me. Every aircraft accelerates during take off be it day or night. Fighters take off from aircraft carriers with enormous acceleration generated by the catapult. Of course we don't hear about those crashes if and when they occur. But it seems to me whenever there is a nightime accident after take off in Australia where ATSB are unable to make definate findings as to the cause of why the pilot flew into the ground, the bogeyman of somatogravic illusion is brought up as a probable cause.
If all human beings who fly aeroplanes at night are wide open to the effects of this medical illusion, then how come more don't crash? Surely the answer to that question is basic instrument flying skill? Disregarding for a moment instrument errors caused by gyro design, the next thing is the skill required to conduct an instrument lift off into a black night.
During instrument flying training in general aviation flying schools, it is rare to have the student go on to instruments from the moment he lifts off the ground. The lack of effective instrument flying simulation often means there is always part of a visual horizon visible out of the corner of the students eye especially when using a baseball hat or `hood. It might be called cheating but who hasn't cheated during instrument flying training if he can get away with it?
In flying training, most simulated instrument take offs involve the student going on to full instruments never below 2-500 ft. By then the aircraft is usually in a steady unaccelerated climb. If CPL/instrument rating students are to be prepared for outback commercial operations at night, then more effective instrument flying instruction is needed. In turn, that means good instruction from preferably an experienced instructor. Often they are hard to find leaving a new instructor blind leading the blind as it were. In other words what I am trying to convey is that good instrument flying ability is an obvious requirement if you intend to fly into black night instrument conditions.
One ATSB report into a night departure accident stated the pilot had recently passed his command instrument rating; the inference being he must have been competent on instruments. But did the test involve a black night take off? Probably not. Therefore if it wasn't his lack of instrument flying skill that may have been a factor in why he flew into the ground, it leaves an investigator with the only other possibility that the real culprit was the dreaded somatogravic effect that lies in wait for every unwary pilot who does a black night takeoff.
If we accept that a good instrument pilot will not fly back into the ground on a dark night take off, it follows that an incompetent (and that includes lack of currency) pilot runs that risk under the stated conditions. Pilots could markedly increase their departure instrument flying skills at night by spending time in a synthetic trainer, and ensuring the last part of the take off roll and rotation (liftoff in a light single or twin) is completed on instruments.
It means that landing gear and flap retraction is on instruments relatively close to the ground as the aircraft climbs. Trim changes may occur. Of course somatogravic illusion cannot be simulated in a synthetic trainer but excellent instrument flying skills will usually save the day (or in this case, the black night). With many excellent synthetic trainers around, a couple of hundred dollars spent in one of these may be a life-saving investment.
And a word to ATSB. In future accidents of this type - and no doubt they will happen from time to time - investigators could look closely at the instrument flying training and currency (if any) given to the pilot on the type of aircraft involved. There may be clues to the accident. The mere fact a pilot may hold an instrument rating means nothing when it comes to black night departures. This is especially where the pilot has been used to engaging the automatic pilot and any flight director shortly after lift off.