A method for controlling aerodynamic loads in wind turbine (20), includes stopping rotation of blades (22) of the turbine about a rotor shaft axis (38); stopping rotation of a nacelle (30) of the turbine about a vertical yaw axis (36); pitching each blade of the turbine about its respective pitch axis (43) into a stable pitch angle range (52B-52C or 52E-52F) in which a resulting root twisting moment (52) created by a current wind loading (48, 50) on the respective blade is in a direction urging pitch rotation of the blade toward a position of lower root twisting moment; and releasing the blades to rotate passively about their respective pitch axes during subsequent changing wind directions (VR1). A blade may be designed to better align a root zero twisting moment (52A, 52D) in the stable pitch angle range with a minimum (48B, 48D, 50B, 50D) wind loading.