Presentation by:
Annel Udoh
Key Terms
Human Error
The unintentional act of performing a task incorrectly that can potentially degrade the system. They are the result of actions that fail to generate the intended outcomes.
Civil Aviation
One of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and work together to establish common Standards and Recommended Practices (SARP) for Civil Aviation through that agency.
Categories of Civil Aviation
There are three major categories of Civil Aviation:
- Commercial Air Transport which includes scheduled and non-scheduled passengers and cargo flights;
- Aerial Work in which an aircraft is used for specialized services such as agriculture, photography, surveying, search and rescue, etc.; and
- General Aviation (GA) which includes all other civil flights – private or commercial.
INTRODUCTION
Humans are prone to errors. As a result, organizations are vulnerable to various types of errors. The most common human error is due to mistakes made by people which can be caused by poor planning, lack of knowledge, inadequate training, and so forth. These errors can lead to financial losses and reputation damage.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), human error is the leading cause of both commercial airline crashes and general aircraft accidents. More than 88% of all general aviation accidents are attributed to human error, especially due to loss of control by the pilot during flight.
Human error, in various forms, is a causal factor in the majority of aircraft accidents, incidents, and safety occurrences. Much of the error by professionally trained and licensed operators (Flight Crew, Air Traffic Controllers, and Aircraft/ATC Maintenance Technicians) arises from either the failure to apply Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in the way intended or in the making of poor tactical judgements. Pilot error may be the most common type of human error in aviation accidents, but they are not solely responsible. Others involved in aircraft flights such as flight crew members, air traffic controllers, and mechanics or maintenance staff who work on the airplane also contribute to human error.
TYPES OF HUMAN ERROR
There are basically three types of Human Error:
❌ Omission – Not performing an act or task.
❌ Commission – Accomplishing a task incorrectly.
❌ Extraneous – Performing a task not authorized.
CLASSIFICATION OF ERROR
Errors can be broadly distinguished in two categories:
📌 Category One
These are execution errors which are otherwise called Slips and Lapses. They result from failures in the execution and/or storage stage of an action sequence. Slips relate to observable actions and are commonly associated with attentional or perceptual failures; and Lapses are more internal events and generally involve failures of memory.
📌 Category Two
Planning failures known as mistakes. Mistakes may be defined as “deficiencies or failures in the judgmental and/or inferential processes involved in the selection of an objective or in the specification of the means to achieve it.” (Reason, 1990). In the case of planning failures, the person did what he/she intended to do, but it did not work. The goal or plan was wrong. This is the type of error referred to as a MISTAKE.
CAUSES OF HUMAN ERROR IN AVIATION
Some of the most common human error preconditions or conditions that can act as precursors to accidents or incidents within aviation are, but not limited to the following:
⛔ Lack of Effective Communication
⛔ Complacency
⛔ Lack of knowledge
⛔ Distraction
⛔ Lack of Teamwork / Team Spirit
⛔ Stress and/or Fatigue
⛔ Lack of Resources
⛔ Pressure
⛔ Lack of Assertiveness
⛔ Lack of Awareness
⛔ Norms
⛔ Faulty Equipment
When Human Errors are factors in an aviation accident, they can usually be broken down into three responsible parties. These parties, as discussed briefly below are Pilots or Flight Crew Members, Air Traffic Controllers, and Maintenance Staff:
- Pilot or Flight Crew Error
Pilots make countless decisions and perform a multitude of actions while operating an aircraft, and they sometimes make mistakes. These mistakes are defined as either tactical errors which are based on decision-making, or as operational errors which are a result of poor training. Flight crew members can also make in-flight errors that result in the injury of passengers on board.
Examples of errors by Pilots or Flight Crew Members include the following:
❌ Flying under the influence of drugs or alcohol
❌ Pilots experiencing fatigue
❌ Confusion when using automated flight systems
❌ Lack of proper training for pilots or flight crew
❌ Skimming or skipping pre-flight or pre-landing checklists
❌ Insufficient communication between flight crew members
❌ Negligence of flight crew members
- Air Traffic Controller Error
Air Traffic Controllers, employed or sub-contracted by the concerned authority, monitor and regulate all aspects of aircrafts in the air and on the ground (runway). Their job is to direct air traffic flow and keep aircrafts at a safe distance from one another.
Potential causes of errors on the part of Air Traffic Controllers include the following:
🔸 Under-staffing
🔸 Fatigue
🔸 Inadequate training
🔸 Failure to issue safety alerts or warnings
🔸 Incorrectly guiding Pilots
🔸 Poor coordination between Air Traffic Controllers
- Aircraft Maintenance Error
When aircraft maintenance is performed incorrectly, aircraft parts can malfunction and cause dangerous flying conditions. There are several potential causes of maintenance errors, some of which are
📌 Fatigue
📌 Time pressure
📌 Complexities of required tasks
📌 Use of outdated manuals
📌 Improper equipment or part installation
📌 Incorrectly followed maintenance procedures
HOW TO PREVENT HUMAN ERROR IN AVIATION
👍 Identify where one is prone to human error
Before implementing any strategy, it is essential to identify exactly where one is prone to human error. The best way to do this is by conducting thorough employee training sessions and regular audits.
👍 Implement a system to minimize the risk of human error
Once the areas of one’s being prone to making mistakes are identified, establish processes to limit the possibility of those mistakes happening. For example, if there are times when data must be manually imputed, then automating it should be considered.
👍 Use Checklists to reduce chances of mistakes
In addition to establishing automated systems, it is also helpful to use Checklists as part of the overall organizational structure. This list provides a step-by-step instructions on how to complete various tasks. It also serves as a reminder of things that one might otherwise forget, especially in repetitive tasks.
👍 Make sure that everyone has access to information
When everyone has access to information, they will be able to communicate effectively and work together more efficiently. This means that they will have less opportunities to make mistakes.
👍 Provide training on how to avoid making errors
Another effective way to minimize human error is to train employees on how to avoid making mistakes. This includes new hires and all employees who interact with customers or clients.
👍 Create a culture where people feel comfortable reporting any issues or concerns
It would help if opened communication within the system is encouraged. If someone sees something wrong or thinks that they have made a mistake, they should feel comfortable reporting it to the hierarchy or management without fear of victimization.
Ultimately, corrective actions should be taken once areas where there is a possibility of committing human errors are identified. There should be corrective Plans in place and actions to avoid similar errors in future.
CONCLUSION
In Civil Aviation, as with other fields of endeavor, recognizing that humans are prone to error and do not just make mistakes randomly aids in understanding why the errors happen and puts all parties concerned in a better position to prevent them from occurring and causing injury or lose of life and property.
REFERENCES
en.m.wikipedia.org
www.aircraftsystemstech.com
www.qualitygurus.com
www.wkw.com
