The black hole illusion (BHI) typically occurs at night when insufficient visual cues exist between the runway edge and the aircraft. Much like astronomical black holes, pilots experiencing BHI often feel as though they are being drawn into a void above the landing ground. Despite the concept being introduced over 70 years ago, BHI remains a persistent threat to flight safety, and no unified understanding has yet been achieved. This paper presents a systematic review of prior studies and explores implications for the development of pilot selection and training programs.


Our review revealed that most existing research has focused primarily on pilots' subjective reports of perception. In some cases, the BHI has been incorrectly equated with night approaches in general, leading to misconceptions. To provide a clearer framework, we reinterpret the BHI from a psychological perspective. Contributing factors are categorized into external conditions and human factors, with the latter further divided into estimation errors and decision failures. Building on this structure, we propose potential solutions informed by theories of perception, attention, strategy, and personality traits.


In conclusion, addressing the BHI requires urgent and interdisciplinary research efforts. Advances in simulation technologies and unmanned aerial vehicles offer promising tools to complement traditional flight studies and to expand experimental investigation. With such approaches, a deeper understanding of BHI may be achieved, ultimately leading to more effective mitigation strategies.