Can large aircraft be spin-susceptible?
 

I read in a recent thread elsewhere that a Bristol Britannia entered, and was recovered from, a spin during stall testing. I also recall the loss of a DHC-7 on a test flight, which I believe resulted from an inadvertent stall with asymmetric power leading to a spin.

However, many other airliners have undergone stall tests, without the installation of devices such as spin recovery chutes, which prompts my question: are such aircraft generally spin-resistant, perhaps due to the inherent inertias; alternatively, what techniques are used to minimise the risk of entering a spin?

Awaiting your replies with interest,

RSN.

Guess it depends what you mean by "airliners" but it's certainly our practice (Bombardier) to conduct all initial stall tests (at a minimum) with a recovery chute system installed and operational. It's more a concern regarding deep stall potential of the T-tail configuration than a concern for spinning, though.

In terms of ensuring you don't inadvertently spin, the usual considerations of building up towards the stall (to enable any anomalies in lat/dir characteristics to hopefully be spotted), and ensuring the stalls are pretty much 'straight', would be general advice.

The AAIB reported on the DHC-7 accident in 1999 - the report is available here.