During which situation are pilots most likely to experience somatogravic illusion?

The situation where pilots are most likely to experience somatogravic illusion is during rapid acceleration, particularly during takeoff. This phenomenon occurs because the body's perception of motion is influenced by changes in speed and the orientation of the aircraft. When an aircraft accelerates quickly, the inner ear may interpret the sensations of acceleration as a tilt or a climb. This can lead pilots to mistakenly believe that they are climbing or that their flight path is different from reality, which can be dangerous if they do not correct for this incorrect perception.

Somatogravic illusion highlights the disconnect between the sensory input pilots receive and the actual state of the aircraft. In rapid acceleration, the forces acting on the pilots can create a strong illusion of a climb, which they may intuitively respond to by pulling back on the control yoke, further compounding the risk of an unintended nose-up attitude.

In contrast, situations such as rapid descent, deceleration upon landing, or level flight in turbulent conditions might not induce this specific type of illusion with the same degree of intensity or likelihood as rapid acceleration, where the physiological effects can be quite pronounced.