NTSB Most Wanted List

     After doing some research on the above topics, the way I would rank these is pretty similar to how they ranked them. The only difference is that I would put cockpit image recorders as the least important. So my ranking would be: prevent loss of control in flight, fatigue related accidents, reducing distractions, medical fitness, and cockpit image recorders. The reason I think that loss of control is important is because there has been a lot of accident still due to loss of control. “Approximately 450 people are killed each year in GA accidents. Loss of Control is the number one cause of these accidents. There is one fatal accident involving LOC every four days” (FAA, 2015). Loss of control has really affected the general aviation community. “Between 2001 and 2011, over 40 percent of fixed wing GA fatal accidents occurred because pilots lost control of their airplanes” (NTSB, 2015). This seems to be a big issue within the general aviation community and I think this issue needs to be addressed. It seems that there may be a lack in training for pilots on how to maintain control. This could be partly due to automation and the ability to use autopilot. Pilots have become so used to being able to using autopilot that they lose the ability to know if there is a problem or even how to handle it.

     Fatigue has also been and still is an issue. “Human fatigue is both a symptom of poor sleep and health management, and an enabler of other impairments, such as poor judgment and decision making, slowed reaction times, and loss of situational awareness and control” (NTSB, 2016). The impairments that are caused by fatigue can have fatal consequences when flying. “In the last 15 years fatigue has been associated with over 250 fatalities in air carrier accidents investigated by the Safety Board” (Sumwalt, 2008). Although the FAA has issued regulations in regards to fatigue and making sure that pilots are given an adequate amount of time to be able to rest, there is still responsibility on the pilots to make sure they are getting an appropriate amount of sleep. It is important that not only pilots, but others such as ATC, mechanics, and even managers have an adequate amount of rest because their decisions could affect hundreds of lives. Not only pilots, but managers and ATC need to be well rested because they need to be able to be aware of their situation and be able to make the right decisions if a problem occurs.

      Distractions are becoming more and more popular because there have become more things that can be distracting. With the increase in technology, it opens up more options of possible things that can become distracting. “A NASA study of crew error accidents and ASRS reports determined at least 34 different types of competing activities preoccupied or distracted pilots, causing them to neglect an important task at a critical moment. More than half of the incidents involved a failure to monitor the current status or position of the aircraft or failure to monitor the actions of the pilot who was flying or taxiing” (Hopkins, 2013). When it comes to distractions, it isn’t all just cellphones, laptops, or tablets, but it can be tasks that pilots must perform. They can become preoccupied with what they have to do that they lose awareness of things going on around them. “Even though cell phone or laptop use in the cockpit is not a common problem, pilots experience similar distractions from electronic equipment in the normal execution of their flight duties” (Hopkins, 2013). In regards to cellphones and laptops, there are recommendations that the FAA has put out for airlines. “The FAA now recommends all airlines review their operation manuals to ensure pilots are required to turn off cell phones prior to departure from the gate” (Hopkins, 2013). After doing some research, it seemed like distractions from personal cellphones or laptops has not been really common or has caused as many accidents, but since tablets are becoming more popular in the cockpit, this could become a bigger issue. It is important that people are not becoming distracted by the use of their cellphones or laptops, especially during critical parts of the flight because this could cause danger to others.

     Medical fitness is an important issue, but the FAA has tests that help determine the medical fitness of their pilots. They need to pass screenings in order to fly. The problem is the types of diseases or mental illnesses that are not easy to find. “The aviation medical certification system may be the most robust, but pilots are increasingly testing positive for over-the-counter sedating medications. Moreover, although the NTSB has found that obstructive sleep apnea has been a factor in multiple accidents, all transportation modes still lack a complete screening process for this condition” (NTSB, 2015). There are some illnesses that cannot be determined by a simple screening, but that doesn’t mean that having pilots go through more screenings or examinations would be a good idea either. Problems occur with miscommunication between pilots and their employers because they fail to inform them that they are unfit to fly.

     The reason I put cockpit image recorders last is because I think it can possible cause a lot more problems than it may help. “The idea was first proposed in 2000 by the National Transportation Safety Board, which said video cameras ‘would provide critical information to investigators about the actions inside the cockpit immediately before and during an accident’” (Davies, 2014).  This idea has been around for a while and it still hasn’t been implemented. I think that if they go through with it and aircraft become equipped with cockpit image recorders, pilots will feel a lot more under pressure than they may already do. Pilots have spoken out about their disagreement with having cockpit image recorders.

Pilots don't see the disappearance of Flight 370 as a reason to embrace cameras. They cite two reasons for their opposition: Video surveillance will almost certainly be misinterpreted or get into the wrong hands, and it can adversely affect how they do their jobs. There is a wealth of unscripted and non-verbal communication that transpires between pilots and only they can interpret them. Using video cameras in the cockpit would only add to the likelihood of misinterpretation. (Davies, 2014)

This could lead to problems because if people who don’t understand what goes on in the cockpit or how pilots communicate with each other review these videos, what will be the consequences if they misinterpret what happened. If the pilots do not survive, it can negatively affect the company because the pilots cannot speak as to why they did what they did. Another problem is that pilots might have to change how they work. “Pilots say the very presence of a video recording system could be detrimental to pilot performance and decision-making. If cameras were in the cockpit, it could change the way flying gets done, and not for the better. Looking over the shoulder of pilots would pressure them to follow every single rule, which isn't always ideal” (Davies, 2014). Because they would be on camera, they would feel like every move they do is being watched and criticized. If they think that something may be the best option to do in an emergency, but may look bad on camera, what will happen to them. Will they get in trouble for their actions, even though they saved hundreds of lives?

     I think one item on the list that shouldn’t be on there is cockpit image recorders. As I discussed above, I think that this could potentially cause more problems than it will with helping out. I think it will provide a lot of pressure on the pilots who will become so focused on being “perfect” since every move they make will be watched, judged, and criticized. This could add too much pressure that can lead to more stress on the pilots because although they may feel like what they choose to do is what is best or safe to do, the video and their actions may be misinterpreted. Another thing is that if there is an accident and the pilots do not survive to explain what happened, will the video be interpreted properly by the investigators? If it is not, then it can lead to more problems. I think that it may sound like a good idea, but pilots may not be too happy about it and nor would the airlines because they would have to pay to install these systems.

     One item that could be on the list is runway safety. Because approach and landing are the most critical part of the flight and most accidents occur during this phase, it is important to make sure that pilots are trained properly.

Runway safety–related events are the most common type of commercial air transport accident. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 58 percent of all accidents occurred in the runway environment from 2009 through 2013, and the category’s most frequent type is runway excursion, representing about 23 percent of all accidents over the period. While there is a downward trend in aviation accidents overall, runway excursions remain relatively unchanged. (Jackman, 2014)

According to this statistic, more than half of the accidents that occurred within a four year period, between 2009 and 2013 occurred on the runway. This provides a huge liability to the airport and increases the potential risks.

     Of all the items that are listed above, I think the FAA will most likely respond to the distractions in the cockpit and to preventing loss of control. Both of these issues have led to incidents or accidents that can be prevented. If these issues are addressed, we can hopefully see improvements in safety and less incidents or accidents due to these issues. I think that distractions in the cockpit is going to become a bigger issue than it currently is because of the advancements in technology and that more and more pilots are bringing tablets into the cockpit. The FAA can set new regulations to try to help incidents involving distracted pilots from occurring. I also think that preventing loss and control would be addressed because the FAA can set regulations to help prevent this from occurring to improve safety. With both of these issues, safety is a major concern.

References

Davies, A. (2014, July 11). Why Pilots Dislike Being on Cockpit Cam. Retrieved from Wired.co.UK: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-07/11/mh370-cockpit-camera

FAA. (2015, December 10). Fly Safe: Prevent Loss of Control Accidents. Retrieved from Federal Aviation Administration : https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=84335

Hopkins, J. (2013, March 8). The Human Factor: Dangerous Distractions. Retrieved from Flying: http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/proficiency/human-factor-dangerous-distractions

Jackman, F. (2014, December). Top 10 Safety Issues. Retrieved from Flight Safety Foundation: http://flightsafety.org/aerosafety-world-magazine/december-2014/top-10-safety-issues

NTSB. (2015). Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation. Retrieved from National Transportation Safety Board: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl7_2015.aspx

NTSB. (2015). Require Medical Fitness for Duty. Retrieved from National Transportation Safety Board: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl8_2015.aspx

NTSB. (2016). Reduce Fatigue-Related Accidents. Retrieved from National Transportation Safety Board: http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl1-2016.aspx

Sumwalt, R. (2008, June 17). Reduce Aviation Accidents and Incidents. Retrieved from Federal Aviation Administration: https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afs/afs200/media/aviation_fatigue_symposium/8-19_Sumwalt.pdf