CentralNotice Graveyard spiral From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search Graveyard spiral In aviation , a graveyard spiral is a dangerous spiral dive entered into accidentally by a pilot who is not trained or not proficient in instrument flight when flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). [ 1 ] Other names for this phenomenon include "suicide spiral", "deadly spiral", "death spiral" and "vicious spiral". [ 2 ] Graveyard spirals are most common in nighttime or poor weather conditions where no horizon exists to provide visual correction for misleading inner-ear cues. [ 3 ] Graveyard spirals are the result of several sensory illusions in aviation which may occur in actual or simulated IMC, when the pilot experiences spatial disorientation and loses awareness of the aircraft's attitude. In other words, the pilot loses the ability t...