In order to investigate the dynamic response characteristics and influencing factors of general aviation aircraft during crash events, a full-scale crash dynamics model of a typical general aviation aircraft structure, instrumented with an anthropomorphic dummy, was constructed. Numerical simulations were conducted under various velocity (vertical and forward) and attitude angle (pitch) conditions. The full-aircraft dynamic crash responses and the influence patterns of different factors were analyzed. The results show that during crashes without forward velocity, severe deformation was observed in the main landing gear. The aircraft’s center of gravity was displaced rearward relative to the main landing gear wheels, resulting in significant deformation of the tail section due to ground impact. During crashes with forward velocity, severe compression was generated between the fuselage and both the nose and main landing gears. However, the position of the center of gravity relative to the main landing gear wheels was found to remain largely unchanged. Contact between the tail section and the ground was absent, with the most severe deformation localized to the connection region between the main landing gear and the fuselage. Multiple rebounds were exhibited by the aircraft during the crash event, leading to multiple peaks in the ground impact load. The timing of these load peaks was observed to be essentially consistent across different test conditions, although their magnitudes were found to vary significantly. The crash loads were transmitted through the landing gear to the fuselage structure and ultimately to the dummy. The dummy’s pelvic acceleration, lumbar load, and resultant head acceleration were found to increase with greater vertical crash velocity but decrease with larger aircraft pitch angle. These parameters were minimally influenced by forward crash velocity. Under all test conditions, no contact was detected between the dummy’s head and cabin fixtures. The head injury criterion (HIC) value was maintained within the human tolerable range and did not reach the minimum injury threshold level defined for the dummy’s head. It is concluded that, from an occupant protection perspective, inducing a certain pitch angle during a crash event can maximize occupant safety.
HAN He-zhao, LIU Xiao-chuan, XI Xu-long, BAI Chun-yu, LI Xiao-cheng, ZHANG Xin-yue, MU Rang-ke.
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Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(5): 2204-2214 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2502351
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