Journal of Air Transport Management 5(1999)177}184
Aviation human factors:a framework for the new millennium
Kathleen L.McFadden *,Elizabeth R.Towell
Northern Illinois Uni v ersity,Department of Operations Management and Information Systems,Wirtz Hall 209,DeKalb,IL 60115-2854,USA
Carroll College,Departments of Business and Computer Science,100North East A v enue,Waukesha,WI 53186,USA
Abstract
This paper presents a survey of the literature on human factors in airline safety and builds a conceptual framework for designing future safety studies.In our framework,factors are analyzed to determine their association with operational errors rather than accidents.Since operational errors occur with much greater frequency than accidents,our new approach allows for the analysis of the more complex relationships and interactions that occur among various factors.Results generated through the analysis of operational data can enhance the decision-making process and help reduce pilot-error accidents.We also include recommendations for how data should be collected and stored in order for researchers to more e !ectively analyze #ight safety data. 1999Elsevier Science Ltd.All rights reserved.
Keywords:Aviation safety;Human factors;Air transport
1.Introduction
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US President Clinton has stated that aviation safety is his top transportation priority.This is largely due to the fact that airline travel in the US is steadily increasing.If current trends continue,by 2010the annual number of airline passengers could reach 1billion (FAA,1999).If we assume that the number of accidents is proportional to the number of #ights,we could expect an increase in the number of accidents.Following two major US airline crashes (ValuJet 5/96;TWA 7/96),Clinton formed the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Secur-ity to focus on aviation safety concerns.The commission has announced their national priority of reducing the fatal accident rate by 80%over the next decade.
Both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)conduct investigations to determine probable causes of aviation accidents.Table 1lists the major airline crashes in the United States over the past decade.We de "ne a major crash as one involving at least 25fatalities.Although maintenance,manufacturing design #aws,and operational de "ciencies other than those of the pilot are typically cited as cause factors,the major cause of all aviation accidents is pilot-error.Some studies suggest
*Corresponding author.Tel.:#1-815-753-6374;fax:#1-815-753-7460.
E-mail address:kmcfadden @niu.edu (K.L.McFadden)
that approximately 70%of aviation accidents are classi-"ed as pilot-error (McFadden,1993;BASE,1999),while others indicate that all accidents have some form of human error attached to their cause (Braitwaite et al.,1998).This may be unfair to pilots because accidents are often a result of a chain of events in which the pilot is the last link in the chain.But,often the pilot 's judgement in handing emergency situations is the "nal deciding factor as to whether the event will result in an accident.So how do we reliably model pilot-error?The focus of this paper is to examine how past researchers have analyzed pilot-error and develop a conceptual framework for designing future safety studies.Our new approach,that takes into account the more complex relationships among relevant factors,can be extended to other industries where public safety is a primary concern.
2.Traditional approach for studying pilot-error in aviation
In the twentieth century,knowledge acquired through accident investigations paved the way for improvements in air travel.Traditionally,research has focused on "nd-ing factors that link to pilot-error accidents through systematic accident investigations.It has been a very reactive approach.While appreciating the value of acci-dent investigations in identifying cause and initiating
0969-6997/99/$-see front matter 1999Elsevier Science Ltd.All rights reserved.PII:S 0969-6997(99)00011-3