graveyard spin

sensation

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June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

The "graveyard spin" is a dangerous phenomenon pilots can experience due to spatial disorientation. It occurs when a pilot corrects a spin, but the resulting sensation makes them feel like they are spinning in the opposite direction. This illusion can cause the pilot to instinctively counteract their correction, re-entering the original spin.1

Spatial disorientation is the inability to determine one's position, motion, or altitude relative to their surroundings. This can happen to pilots and divers, as human senses can misinterpret gradual or abrupt changes in motion. A "spinout" in a car is a rotational skid that often leads to leaving the roadway.12

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spatial disorientation
…is known as the “graveyard spin.” The “graveyard spiral” results when the sensation of turning is lost in a banked turn. Because the pilot’s instruments show that he is losing altitude, he may pull back on the stick and add power, thus inducing a spiral motion. The oculogyral illusion…
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…is known as the “graveyard spin.” The “graveyard spiral” results when the sensation of turning is lost in a banked turn. Because the pilot’s instruments show that he is losing altitude, he may pull back on the stick and add power, thus inducing a spiral motion. The oculogyral illusion…
Read More