An aggravated stall that leads to autorotation and a downward corkscrew path is defined as:

• A. Spins
• B. Autorotation
• C. Spiral descent
• D. Corkscrew dive

Answer: (A)

Spins occur when an aggravated stall develops with yaw, causing autorotation about the spin axis and a downward corkscrew descent. The key is that the wing is stalled and the aircraft begins rotating around the vertical axis, which produces the characteristic helical path as it descends. Autorotation describes the rotating motion involved, but when paired with a stalled condition, it defines the complete situation as a spin. The other terms describe different flight states: a spiral descent is a banked descent without the stalled rotation, a corkscrew dive is a corkscrew path that isn’t necessarily tied to a stalled condition, and autorotation alone is just the rotation without naming the stalled, self-sustaining spin.