What happens to the rate of descent in a graveyard spiral if recovery is not executed?

In a graveyard spiral, the aircraft is typically in a sustained, uncoordinated turn, often due to a loss of situational awareness. As the pilot inadvertently maintains this turn while descending, the airplane's bank angle increases, resulting in a greater load factor and increased induced drag. This leads to an increase in the descent rate.

If recovery is not executed, the aircraft continues to dive while maintaining the turning motion, which causes the descent rate to escalate. The pilot may not initially perceive the rapid increase in descent because of the disorientation often experienced in such a scenario. Therefore, the lack of recovery efforts in a graveyard spiral causes a continuously increasing descent rate until it results in a critical situation, such as impact with the ground.

Understanding the dynamics of this phenomenon is crucial for pilots, as it underscores the importance of maintaining situational awareness and the need for prompt recovery actions when a potential graveyard spiral occurs.