An analysis of human factors in fifty controlled flight into terrain aviation accidents from 2007 to 2017

INTRODUCTION

Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) account for a considerable amount of fatalities when compared to other accident categories. Human factors are deemed significant contributory causes in these accidents. This paper aims to identify the human factors involved with aviation accidents that resulted in CFIT.

METHOD

The study used the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) framework to determine the factors involved in 50 CFIT accidents from 24 counties over a 10 year period, i.e. 2007-2017. Interviews with five senior aviation safety experts were used to provide a better comprehension of the human factors affecting the flight safety.

RESULTS

The study identified 1289 individual causal and contributory human factors with unsafe actions and preconditions for unsafe actions being the main subcategories of the accidents. The study found that CFIT occur across a range of pilot experience and 44% of accidents occurred in cruise flight. Distraction, complacency and fatigue are all elements that flight crews may experience as contributors to CFIT during cruising.

CONCLUSIONS

Human factors represent a major component of CFIT accidents. The analysis revealed a similar pattern of contributory and causal human factors across the various flight categories, with some noteworthy isolated variations. The prevalent factors were decision and skill-based errors along with communication, coordination and planning issues. Practical applications: Provision of specific CFIT awareness, pilot training focusing on improved decision-making and revision of basic flight skills, development of specific Global Positioning System routes for transiting high terrain areas are necessary to prevent CFIT accidents. Installation of Terrain Avoidance and Warning System and Ground Proximity Warning System and appropriate equipment training, specific CFIT Crew Resource Management training and improvement of organizational knowledge on the elements involved in CFIT are also recommended.

Changes in depression stigma after the Germanwings crash - Findings from German population surveys

BACKGROUND

Media coverage of the Germanwings plane crash intensely focused on the co-pilot's mental illness and was criticized for potentially increasing depression stigma. We explored whether stigma beliefs towards persons with depression changed in April 2015 (about one month after the crash) compared to 2014.

METHOD

Telephone surveys among the adult population were conducted in Munich, Germany (N=650 in 2014 and N=601 in 2015). In both surveys, four components of stigma were assessed: (1) characteristics ascribed to persons with a depression, (2) belief in a continuum of symptoms from mental health to mental illness, (3) emotional reactions to people afflicted by depression (fear, anger, and pro-social reactions), and (4) desire for social distance.

RESULTS

Some stigmatizing attitudes have increased after the crash. More specifically, we found more pronounced changes in the attributes ascribed (stereotypes) and in the perceived separation from persons afflicted (continuum beliefs) than in the emotional reactions and the desire for social distance. However, overall increase in depression stigma was smaller than expected as changes were not statistically significant in the majority of the analyzed items.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the study design no causal interpretation of results is possible. Moreover, evidence presented is confined to a regional German sample.

CONCLUSIONS

A single devastating event and related media coverage seem to have a limited impact on public stigmatizing attitudes.

Examining disaster planning models for large scale burn incidents--a theoretical plane crash into a high rise building

BACKGROUND

The escalation of global terrorist attacks has resulted in a rise of traumatic injuries. Planning for mass casualty incidents (MCIs) is critical to decrease the morbidity and mortality that ensues after large-scale terrorist attacks. This study provides criteria for the management of burn victims following large-scale disasters.

METHODS

Mass casualty outcomes from three disasters involving commercial aircraft crashes were analyzed. The three events included the El-Al cargo Aircraft crash near the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in 1992, the World Trade Center attacks in New York and the attack against the Pentagon in Washington, DC on 9/11/01.

RESULTS

Using the data obtained from these events, the severity of injuries in patients were determined. The result is a general template that may be customized with locally or regionally specific data, in order to evaluate the preparedness of a specific burn alignment for such a scenario.

CONCLUSION

Recommendations based on the analysis of previous MCI's were put forth. Based on the needs recognized during these past events, suggestions were made to enhance the preparedness of burn units, hospitals and national agencies as well as municipal authorities.

Comparison of trauma scores and total prehospital time in the prediction of clinical course in a plane crash: Does timing matter?

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how the total prehospital time (TPT), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and Trauma Score-Injury Severity Score (TRISS) affect the outcome of plane crash victims from anatomical, physiological and psychological perspectives. The accuracy or strength of these scores and TPT in predicting hospitalization and surgery, sequelae development and psychiatric complications [permanent temporary disability (PoTDs)] and PTSD can allow medical professionals to direct and prioritize management efforts of the victims of mass casualties in general.

METHODS

The study was designed as a single-center retrospective study. By examining the records of victims of a plane crash transferred to the ED, AIS, ISS, TRISS and TPT were calculated on admission. The clinical severity of the patients was determined by a joint decision of five clinicians. The performances of the trauma scores on hospitalization, surgery, PTSD and PoTDs were compared. The study data were analyzed via the Mann-Whitney U test and descriptive statistical methods. Pearson's chi-square test was used for the comparison of qualitative data, and ROC analyses were employed to determine cutoff levels.

RESULTS

The AIS, ISS, and TRISS scores of the victims with an indication for hospitalization, calculated on admission to the ED, were significantly higher than those of the other victims (p = 0.001). In addition, TPT, AIS, ISS, and TRISS scores were significantly higher in hospitalized patients than in outpatients (p < 0.05). The cutoff levels for AIS and ISS were ≥ 1.50 and ≥ 4.50, respectively, while they were ≥ 123.5 min for TPT with regard to hospitalization decisions. The AIS, ISS, and TRISS scores calculated on admission for the patients who underwent surgery were significantly higher than those who did not (p = 0.001). Cutoff levels for AIS and ISS were ≥ 2.50 and ≥ 11.50, respectively, while they were ≥ 135.5 min for TPT with respect to the decision to operate on the victims.

CONCLUSIONS

It is expected that everyone who practices medicine be equipped to handle multiple casualties. As the number of people involved in mass casualties increases, diagnostic tools, workups such as laboratory and radiological studies, and prognostic markers such as trauma scores should be simpler and more user-friendly.