IN FEBRUARY 2019 a Boeing767 flown as a cargo flight went from controlled flight to impact in only 30 seconds. While the aircraft descended in instrument conditions through 6,300 feet msl, the go-around mode of the autopilot and autothrottles was accidently triggered, likely by the first officer's hand on the speed-brake control being jostled in light turbulence. The thrust levers then advanced from idle to go-around thrust while the pitch attitude increased to five degrees nose up. The first officer reacted by pushing forward on the controls while saying "we're stalling," actions the NTSB concluded were likely caused by the pilot's experience of spatial disorientation due to the somatogravic illusion. Despite rapidly increasing airspeed the pilot further increased the nose down attitude, sustaining 45 to 50 degrees nose-down pitch until the aircraft descended below the cloud base-only then were the controls moved to full nose up. Tragically, there was insufficient altitude remaining to effect recovery, and the aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the surface. The captain, first officer, and a pilot riding in the jumpseat died in the crash.
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