In the Loop - Safety Series - Aerobatics and Apple Crash Detection

With the Apple Series 8 Watch or the Apple iPhone 14

October 10, 2022

While doing a fairly routine Aerobatic Flight, in my Pitts Special S2-C, on Sept. 27, 2022, I landed at Downtown Airport, 3DW, in Springfield, Missouri, my home airport. After landing I found out that multiple people had contacted the airport to get additional information regarding a Crash Detection alert by texts and phone calls.  

At first, we thought it might have been a malfunctioning ELT in the aircraft.  Checked that, and it was operating fine.  I then noticed the messages on my new iPhone 14 Pro, and my Apple Watch, which was an older Series 6.  As it turns out, a Crash Detection was sent out to not only my three stored emergency contacts; but also 911 was called from what appeared to be my cellular enabled Series 6 Apple Watch, or possibly from the phone, while doing my aerobatic flight.

I had worn my Series 6 Apple Watch many times before while doing Aerobatic flights; but this was the first time while also carrying my new iPhone 14 Pro phone.  The previous phone was the 13 Pro, and this had never happened. 

Obviously, had I really crashed, this would be a good thing; but as I was fortunately still air born and OK, it was not at all a good thing to have my three emergency contacts texted, but also 911 called on not one, but three, different times, during my short 30 minute flight. So, this begs the question, “What changed, to cause this to happen?”

My first thought, was it must have been the g-forces.  I typically keep it within the limits of 6 positive, and 5 negative, which is the recommended limits for the Pitts S-2C.  Hitting 6 positive, or just a touch below, is normal.  As for the negative gs, I rarely push over 3gs.  

Researching into more detail, I found that the algorithms that Apple uses for detecting a crash, have been updated to include more data from more sources. So, as it turns out, it is not just the g-forces, but the algorithm now incorporates additional data. The Series 6 Watch did not have all of this; but in combination with the new iPhone 14 Pro, it now considers:

1.  g-forces, in a 3-axis gyroscope and high g-force accelerometer.
2. In addition, we now have a barometer, that measures changes in cabin pressure.  The theory being, that in an Auto Crash, the window, or windshield would possibly be broken out, resulting in a substantial change (if only for an instant) in cabin pressure in the Car.    
   
   All of that is great; but in an aerobatic plane, doing a maneuver, like an Avalanche (perhaps my favorite), consider that it starts out like a Loop.  4 to 5 positive gs on the first half, with a Snap roll at the top of the Loop, from inverted back to inverted, and then finishing the Loop.  
   
   So, imagine, the g-forces, combined with the input from the 3-axis gyroscope and high g-force accelerometer, which is not only recording a Loop motion, a complete rollover so to speak in one direction; but also, a Snap roll at the top, which is a very fast Snap roll in a totally different axis.  Then combine the 1000-1200 feet of barometric pressure change on the way up, and the same on the way back down.  Basically, the phone and watch, are overwhelmed with data suggesting a crash
3. The entire system now also uses the microphone in the devices.   Anyone that has ever had the very special opportunity to be in the cockpit of a Pitts, knows that it is definitely loud.  In fact, it is extremely loud.    
   
   So, consider a spin scenario.  If I do a half Loop to inverted, and set myself up for a 2-turn inverted Spin, then again, I am putting the g-forces into the algorithm, the 3-axis gyroscope, and high g-force accelerometer, obviously the Barometer, and when I cut the power for the Spin, the microphone detects a huge decrease in cockpit noise, during the Spin, and a huge increase during the recovery.  Again, the devices are completely overwhelmed with data that is being interpreted as a Crash.

NOTE:  It is not just the new iPhone 14, that will cause this problem. The new Series 8 Apple Watch, (at least with the “Ultra” model), incorporates all of these new data sampling components entirely into the Watch itself.  I have the Series 8 Watch “Ultra” on order. (**The Series 8 Ultra was received shortly after writing the article, and the procedure for disabling Crash Detection, in Settings remains the same.  Checking again, as of March 27, 2023, go to Settings, then “Emergency SOS” and turn off the “Call After Severe Crash.”  I have this disabled on BOTH the iPhone 14 Pro, and my Apple Watch, and there have been no further problems, or the need to explain to various 911 locations that would get the Crash notifications, and the multiple Geo Location data, as it was occurring multiple times during the same Aerobatic Flight, why this was happening.)

TechCrunch, explains how the update works at the most basic level:

• “Apple Accident Detection is supported by a 3-axis gyroscope that works in conjunction with a high g-force accelerometer with the capability of sampling data at four times the speed of the previous generation.
• Together, these allow an algorithm to run on the watch – along with the Series 8’s barometer – which leaves it capable of detecting crashes in most vehicle types and of notifying the user’s emergency contacts and emergency services if the wearer doesn’t respond within the allotted 10 seconds.”

So, again, both the new iPhone 14 (mine is the 14 Pro), and the new Series 8 watch, can activate the Crash Detection.  Apple claims that if you have a new Apple Watch and a new iPhone, they will work together to get you help.  This means either will report the Crash Detection; but apparently, if you have both devices with you, the Phone will most likely be the device to contact 911, only because it should get the best connection.

Additional info. From 9TO5 MAC:

“These capabilities build on existing components, like the barometer, which can now detect cabin pressure changes, the GPS for additional input for speed changes, and the microphone, which can recognize loud noises typified by severe car crashes. Advanced Apple-designed motion algorithms trained with over a million hours of real-world driving and crash record data provide even better accuracy.”

Obviously, this is not working quite the way it was intended, when doing aerobatic flying.  According to Apple, Crash Detection runs only when you're driving and processes data only at the time of the crash.  If it only worked while driving a car, that would be great; but it is obviously not the case.

If you are wearing the Watch, and also have the new iPhone, the Crash Detection will be displayed on the Watch, with a short vibrational “haptic” to notify the wearer, who then has 10 seconds to cancel the notification texts to emergency contacts, and the 911 calls from going out.  In my experience, I did not even notice the “haptics” while doing my flying.  The Watch was under the sleeve of my flight suit, and the various aerobatic maneuvers were fairly intense, as well as being one right after another.

If you have the latest apple hardware, what can you do to solve this problem?

What I have done, is to go into settings, and you will find, “Emergency SOS settings.”  Turn off the “Call After Severe Crash” function.   If you get a new Apple Watch Series 8, which I have on order, specifically the Ultra, it is my understanding that even without the iPhone 14, you will need to disable this on the new Watch itself.

In case anyone is wondering, if you only take the new iPhone 14, and do not wear the Watch, as long as you have the Crash Detection disabled, there should be no problem.

Safe flying and avoid your friends and family from thinking you have crashed. 

**The Series 8 Ultra was received shortly after writing the article, and the procedure for disabling Crash Detection, in Settings remains the same.  Checking again, as of March 27, 2023, go to Settings, then “Emergency SOS” and turn off the “Call After Severe Crash.”  I have this disabled on BOTH the iPhone 14 Pro, and my Apple Watch, and there have been no further problems, or the need to explain to various 911 locations that would get the Crash notifications, and the multiple Geo Location data, as it was occurring multiple times during the same Aerobatic Flight, why this was happening.