The role of human factors in aviation ground operation-related accidents/incidents: A human error analysis approach

Abstract

Aviation is a complex socio-technical system with interconnected and interdependent subsystems, such as flight operations, air traffic control, aircraft maintenance and ground operations. However, safety and risk research has not paid, thus far, adequate attention to all subsystems, resulting in possibly undetected or underestimated risks. This study focuses on Ground Operations (GO) as a subsystem and analyses the role of human factors in ground operations related accidents and incidents. 87 accident and incident reports (from 2000 to 2020) were analysed in three stages, using the Human Factors Dirty Dozen (HF DD) Model and the Human Factors Analysis and Classification Scheme (HFACS) as a basis for the third stage, a systematic thematic analysis. The findings indicate that lack of situational awareness and failure to follow prescribed procedures are the main causal and contributing factors in GO-related accidents and incidents. Three operational actions were identified as most critical: aircraft pushback/towing, aircraft arrival and departure, and aircraft weight and balance. An agenda for future research and recommendations for industry corrective action are proposed.