Definition
A hazard or potential source of harm that has not yet been recognized, named, or assessed by the pilot or organization. Because it has not been identified, no measures have been taken to mitigate or control it.
Plain English
A risk that is present but nobody has spotted it yet. You can't manage a danger you don't know is there.
Context Anchor
Seen in risk management training when instructors explain that some risks are known and managed, while others may still be hidden until they are discovered.
Derivation
From the prefix 'un-' (not) and 'identified' (recognized or named), from the Latin 'identificare' (to make the same, to mark as). An unidentified risk is literally one that has not yet been picked out and labeled.
Why Pilots Care
These risks are especially dangerous because they cannot be mitigated until discovered, often resulting in unexpected problems during flight.
Grounding Statement
An unidentified risk is still real even before the pilot has spotted it.
Intuition Check
Do not read “unidentified” as meaning “impossible to know.” In this context, it means the risk has not been noticed or named yet.
Example Sentence 1
A frayed wire behind an instrument panel is an unidentified risk until a mechanic spots it during inspection.
Example Sentence 2
After the flight, the instructor noted an unidentified risk of changing weather that had not been checked before departure.