[SystemSafety] Autopilot interface?

[Michael J. Pont]

A report on the BBC website of a flight incident earlier this year:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46137445

According to the BBC:

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The plane climbed to 1,500ft, but then pitched and "descended rapidly" because autopilot was set with a target altitude of 0ft.

Staff reported that the plane "had become visual with the ground", and the report said the aircraft had reached a maximum rate of descent of 4,300ft/min.

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I've never had responsibility for the design of an autopilot interface, but I'd have thought that you'd probably want to make it difficult to set a target height of 0 ft under these conditions?

Michael.

Michael J. Pont
SafeTTy Systems Ltd.