In aviation, Dutch roll refers to a potentially dangerous flight instability where an aircraft experiences a combination of yaw and roll oscillations. It can either be a specific maneuver or a naturally occurring aircraft phenomenon.
Quick Navigation to Dutch Rolls
The Basics
Safety and Training
Definition and Dynamics of the Dutch Roll
Dutch roll is an aircraft motion where the tail is wagged side to side (yaw) while the wings rock from side to side (roll), with both movements occurring out of phase. It is caused by aerodynamic coupling between the yaw (side-to-side motion) and roll (banking motion) axes of an aircraft. This is sometimes called yaw and roll coupling.
When a jet or commercial airliner, like a Boeing 737 MAX, experiences this instability, it may begin to oscillate. These aircraft oscillations can look dramatic but are typically manageable with proper systems and pilot intervention. In Epic’s ground school, pilots learn about the 3 types of stability:
Stability Factors
| Type of Stability | Definition | Axis Involved | Control Surface | Example |
| Lateral Stability (Roll Stability) | An aircraft’s ability to resist rolling (side-to-side tilting) and return to level flight after being disturbed | Longitudinal axis (runs from the nose to the tail) | Ailerons | If a wind gust tilts one wing down, an aircraft with good lateral stability will naturally roll back to level without pilot input. |
| Longitudinal Stability (Pitch Stability) | An aircraft’s ability to maintain or return to a steady pitch (nose-up or nose-down) attitude after a disturbance | Lateral axis (runs wingtip to wingtip) | Elevator | After pitching up due to turbulence, a stable aircraft will gently return to its trimmed flight path. |
| Directional Stability (Yaw Stability) | The tendency of an aircraft to maintain its heading and resist unwanted yaw (left or right movement of the nose) | Vertical axis (runs top to bottom) | Rudder | If a side wind pushes the nose to the left, an aircraft with good directional stability will naturally align itself back into the wind. |
The flight characteristics of Dutch roll are distinct from other oscillatory motions like phugoid motion, which involves pitch and altitude fluctuations rather than yaw and roll. Both are important flight training maneuvers covered in pilot training to ensure safe and controlled responses.
Why is it called a Dutch roll?
The roll causes the airplane’s tail to wag side to side, similar to a fish or an ice skater gliding on a single blade. But why is it called Dutch roll? The term seems to have come from a style of skating common in the Netherlands, where skaters rhythmically sway, mimicking the coupled motion observed in flight.
Cause and Contributing Factors
The primary cause of Dutch roll is an imbalance in stability between yaw and roll. Many swept-wing aircraft, including modern commercial airline jets, are prone to Dutch roll due to their design. Factors include:
- Adverse yaw created when an aileron is deflected, resulting in unintended yaw.
- A malfunction in the yaw damper system, a critical feature that suppresses Dutch roll automatically.
- Strong crosswinds or turbulence.
- Asymmetric thrust or control surface anomalies.
Safety Issues: Accidents Involving Dutch Rolls
One of the most well known recent examples is the May 25, 2024 Southwest Airlines Flight 746 Dutch roll event involving a Boeing 737 MAX. According to the FAA, the aircraft experienced oscillations in flight potentially due to a rudder system issue. The aircraft, which had been parked outside during a severe storm, could have been impacted by strong winds. Other notable accidents we share in training include:
- 1959: A new Boeing 707-227 crash-landed after a several rolls, which caused two engines to break off. The roll exceeded the angle-of-bank limits. All four crew members died.
- 1985: Japan Air Lines Flight 123 experienced explosive decompression, which led to major structural failure. This led to a series of issues, including a Dutch roll alongside phugoid cycles. The Boeing 747SR-46 crashed, resulting in the deadliest single-aircraft accident in history with 520 people perishing.
- 2005: A Dutch roll incident occurred on Air Transat Flight 961 including structural failure of the rudder. The Airbus A310 did manage to return safely, although damaged.
- 2013: A KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Kyrgyzstan due to a Dutch roll, which caused the deaths of all three crew members.
Though extremely rare, such events highlight the importance of understanding and preparing for Dutch roll behavior.
How to Control and Recover
At Epic, we teach effective recovery techniques for Dutch roll. These involve coordinated aileron and rudder control. We teach our pilots to:
- Identify the aircraft oscillations early.
- Apply rudder input to counteract yaw while using ailerons for roll stabilization.
- Avoid overcorrection, which can lead to a spiral dive or worsen instability.
Proper pilot training, aircraft design, and system redundancy help ensure that Dutch roll, while dangerous under certain circumstances, can be managed effectively.
Phugoid Motion (Comparative Flight Oscillations)
Phugoid motion is a slow, smooth oscillation where an aircraft trades altitude for airspeed and vice-versa while maintaining nearly constant angle of attack. It’s a natural response to disturbances in pitch and is usually not dangerous in stable aircraft.
Here’s a comparative table explaining Phugoid motion alongside other common aircraft oscillations to help visualize how it differs and how it behaves:
| Type of Oscillation | Name | Axis Involved | Motion Type | Speed & Altitude Behavior | Pilot Control Needed? | Typical Duration |
| Long-period | Phugoid Motion | Primarily longitudinal (pitch) | Alternating climb and descent | Speed decreases → nose pitches down → speed increases → nose pitches up (altitude changes, pitch changes) | Often self-correcting, minimal input | 20–60 seconds per cycle |
| Short-period | Short-Period Oscillation | Pitch (lateral axis) | Nose rapidly bobs up and down | Pitch changes quickly; speed and altitude remain nearly constant | Often requires control input | 1–5 seconds per cycle |
| Dutch Roll | Dutch Roll | Yaw and roll (vertical & longitudinal axes) | Wobbling (snake-like motion in yaw and roll) | Heading and bank angle oscillate; no large speed/altitude changes | Typically requires damping or yaw damper | 5–20 seconds per cycle |
| Roll Oscillation | Spiral or Rolling Oscillation | Roll (longitudinal axis) | Unintended roll to one side | Bank angle increases unless corrected | Requires pilot correction | Can develop progressively |
“While Dutch rolls can occur naturally, we also intentionally use it as a training maneuver to teach pilots about rudder control and adverse yaw.” –Ray Altmann, Chief Flight Instructor, Epic Flight Academy
Prevention and Technology
Most modern jets are equipped with a yaw damper system to control Dutch roll automatically. This system senses yaw rate and applies rudder inputs without the pilot’s involvement. If the yaw damper fails, as in the Southwest incident I mentioned earlier, the aircraft may become susceptible to the maneuver again, especially during high-altitude cruise.
Flight training maneuvers in simulators allow students to safely experience the Dutch roll. FAA-approved training, such as Epic’s Part 141 program, often includes video demonstrations to help students visualize the dynamics and correct response. Epic students train in the Cessna 172 Skyhawk and the Piper PA-44 Seminole. While both of these aircraft are dynamically stable, they can still experience Dutch roll.
Check Your Knowledge
Dutch roll is a common but often misunderstood instability seen in swept-wing aircraft. By understanding its meaning, practicing recovery techniques, and ensuring systems like the yaw damper are functioning, pilots can maintain safe, controlled flight even when confronted with this complex maneuver.
Understanding this maneuver is essential to aviation safety, especially in the era of advanced jets like the 737 MAX. With ongoing training and technological safeguards, pilots continue to fly confidently, knowing how to manage even the most challenging in-flight dynamics.