VISUAL FLIGHT RULES ( VFR ) FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS ( IMC ) : A REVIEW OF THE ACCIDENT DATA

General Aviation (GA) accident statistics indicate that visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) is a major safety hazard within general aviation. Little research has been conducted to identify the factors that influence VFR pilots’ decisions to risk flying into deteriorating weather. As accident reports provide a naturalistic source of such information, this paper presents an analysis of 409 GA aircraft accidents involving VFR flight into IMC that occurred between 1990 and 1997. Fatality rates, pilot demographics and accident causefactors are highlighted and compared to other GA aircraft accidents. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.