Airplane Stalls

Most people hear the term "stall" and they assume that it means that an airplane is falling out of the sky. The thought of an airplane stalling brings chills to the masses.

Just what is a stall?

A stall is nothing more than when the wing of an airplane exceeds what is known as the "critical angle of attack." What is meant by "angle of attack?" The next time you see an aircraft taking off, look at the flight track of the fuselage as it climbs through the sky. Now look at where the nose of the aircraft is pointed. The nose is pointed higher than the flight track of the fuselage. This difference in angle is known as the angle of attack.

So long as angle of attack is kept within normal limits, the wing will plane through the air and support the weight of the aircraft. Air passing under the wing will join the air passing over the wing in a smooth continuous flow, known as laminar airflow. If the angle of attack is increased too far, the airflow becomes turbulent and results in a loss of lift.

Fortunately, most airplanes are equipped with devices which warn the pilot of an impending stall. Stall warning horns and "stick shakers" alert the pilot and give advance warning of a stall. If this is encountered, a buffet may be felt which indicates the beginning of an actual stall. If corrective action is not taken, the wing will stop flying. Pilots are trained early on to recognize potential stall situations and learn what to do to stay away from them.

Unfortunately, stall type accidents continue to claim lives. Improper handling of an airplane in a turn can result in a "stall spin" in which the airplane spins out of control as it plummets to earth. Remember Tom Cruise and Goose in Top Gun as their Tomcat went out of control? This is one type of stall spin scenario.

There are many other situations in which stalls can occur. If the pilot does not recognize the stall or does not take corrective action, catastrophe can ensue. If you have been injured in a plane crash, or if you have lost a loved one in a plane crash, your attorney should take a close look to see if a stall contributed to the accident.