Abstract
Behavioral traps are accident-inducing operational pitfalls aviators may encounter as a result of poor decision making. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) identifies the existence of twelve of these negative pilot behaviors. These are: Peer Pressure; Get-There-Itis; Loss of Situational Awareness; Descent Below the Minimum En Route Altitude (MEA); Mind Set; Duck-Under Syndrome; Getting Behind the Aircraft; Continuing Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Conditions; Scud Running; Operating Without Adequate Fuel Reserves; Flying Outside the Envelope; and Neglect of Flight Planning, Preflight Inspections, and Checklists. The purpose of this paper was to study the nature of their occurrence in the airline domain. Four Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) analyzed 34 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) accident reports. The SMEs were able to identify many pilot actions that were representative of the behavioral traps. Behavioral traps were found in all accidents with Loss of Situational Awareness and Neglect of Flight Planning, Preflight Inspections, and Checklists dominant. Various themes began to emerge, which played important roles in many accidents. These themes included Crew Resource Management (CRM) issues, airline management and fatigue. The findings of this study indicated that behavioral traps were prevalent in airline accidents including habitual noncompliance by pilots. Attitude management training is recommended.
Highlights
Three out of four aviation accidents result from human error [1]
This research drew from the population of 34 National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) U.S Aviation Accident Reports (AARs) and factual reports attributed to flight crew error from 1991 to 2013
Every Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) found a minimum of one behavioral trap and a maximum of four throughout the analysis
Summary
Three out of four aviation accidents result from human error [1]. Behavioral traps are operational pitfalls aviators fall prey to as a result of bad decision making and inappropriate conduct. Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports include a statement on the lessons learned after an aviation incident. The following are examples of some of those pilot testimonials that illustrate the presence of behavioral traps: . Aircraft are machines subject to malfunction and we pilots who operate them are humans subject to human error. As a pilot who plans on remaining on the line, I have learned a valuable lesson—monitor the auto-flight system like a hawk. I was making a rushed approach to land. I have learned that when I am rushed is when I really need to take the time for the checklist
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