Definition
A loss of focus on the primary task of flying the airplane caused by shifting attention to a secondary task, distraction, or unexpected event, resulting in degraded aircraft control, situational awareness, or both.
Plain English
When something pulls your focus away from actually flying the airplane, and your control of the aircraft suffers because of it.
Context Anchor
Seen in human factors discussions about distractions, cockpit workload, and loss of aircraft control.
Derivation
From Latin divertere, 'to turn aside.' A diversion of attention is literally attention being turned aside from where it should be — flying the airplane.
Why Pilots Care
It can cause missed altitude calls, forgotten checklist items, or delayed response to changing flight conditions.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as simply “being busy.” A pilot can be busy and still focused; diversion of attention means focus has been pulled away from the task that matters most at that moment.
Example Sentence 1
While trying to retune a stubborn radio, the pilot allowed a diversion of attention that caused the airplane to drift 200 feet below assigned altitude.
Example Sentence 2
During the landing rollout, a diversion of attention to a passenger comment delayed the pilot's application of brakes.