Loganair Flight Saved by Autopilot Disconnect

On December 15, 2014, Loganair Flight 6780, a Saab 2000 turboprop flying from Aberdeen to Sumburgh, suddenly pitched nose-down over the North Sea. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent of 9,500 feet per minute, triggered when the autopilot reacted to erroneous instrument data that falsely suggested the plane was stalling. With only seven seconds left before impact, the autopilot unexpectedly disconnected, giving the pilots back manual control. Investigators later concluded that a fault in the aircraft's air data system had produced the false stall warning, leading to the near disaster.

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