Originally Posted by
Ian W
Average professional pilots even below average professional pilots should note and correct out of trim flight. This is C-172 stuff and is not complicated.
Way back in training we were in a C172 about to take off. I'd skipped a checklist item - "autopilot off". Instructor came down on me hard for that one
He told me the story of a fatal crash at Leicester UK where pilot left AP on.
"Initially, until about 100 feet agl the take-off appeared normal but then the aircraft adopted an ever increasing nose-high attitude which culminated in a gentle left roll at about 300 feet agl before the aircraft's nose dropped sharply. It seemed to the aero club witnesses that the aircraft had stalled in a markedly nose-up attitude. After what appeared to be an attempted stall recovery at about 100 feet
agl, it dived into the ground whilst rolling left with the engine still running"
...
"During the ground evaluation tests it was noticed that if the ALT button was pressed, the autopilot
engaged... About three to four seconds
later, the elevator trim commenced winding on nose-up trim until it reached maximum deflection;
this took about 18 seconds".
HAL can get at you even in a 172.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ec04e5274a13170000d5/dft_avsafety_pdf_501522.pdf