Coriolis Illusion Bites Jet Pilot

• Fighter pilot returns home at night, VFR wx.
• As he finishes the turn to base, a light goes on in the cockpit.
• The fighter crashes.
• What happened?
  • The pilot had just completed a stable left turn.
  • He turned on a light that illuminated a clipboard located down and to the right
  • Turning and tipping his head created the illusion of pitching up and rolling level.
  • He reflexively "corrected" this, banking and diving into the ground.

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