Graveyard spiral
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In aviation, a graveyard spiral is a dangerous spiral dive entered accidentally by a pilot and of which the pilot is initially unaware.
Graveyard spirals typically occur in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), when the pilot loses awareness of the aircraft's attitude and allows the aircraft to enter a gentle banking turn. Inaction on the part of the pilot or an incorrect recovery from the developing spiral may lead to a tight, irrecoverable spiral dive into the ground, whence the term graveyard spiral.
