Plain English Meaning

The airplane has ended up in a position the pilot didn't intend — pointed too far up, too far down, or banked too steeply — and the pilot now needs to recognize what's happening and bring it back to normal flight.

Full Definition

Aircraft orientations in pitch or bank that are unintentional, unexpected, or beyond those used in normal flight — for example, a steep nose-high or nose-low pitch, or an excessive bank angle. Recovery requires the pilot to first identify the attitude using the flight instruments (or outside visual cues if available), then apply a sequence of to return the aircraft to .