The Crucial Role of Human Factors in Aviation Accidents: A Case Study

Analysis of Major Aviation Accidents

Robson (2013, p. xiii) has stated “There’s no such thing as an aircraft accident, only a human accident”.

This statement emphasises the crucial role of human factors in complex behavioural tasks. Choose up to Three major accidents or incidents where human factors have been a major contributing feature. Ensure that across the accident(s) that you choose, there are examples of failures at the decision-maker/senior management level, the line supervisor/middle management level, and the operational/productive activity level.

In your essay you are to briefly detail the background leading up to the accident(s) and the situational factors at the time of the accident. For each accident, clearly identify the human factors that contributed towards the accident, which level was primarily responsible for the accident and what remedial actions can be taken to prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.

Note: It does not matter how many accidents you discuss, so long as you address each level of the aviation system and cover all aspects of the essay question. Avoid providing excessive details about accidents: the focus of the essay must be on how human factors at each level contribute towards aircraft accidents and how similar accidents can be prevented in the future.

Students may also opt to include non-aviation accidents (e.g. Chernobyl), however, it is recommended that you contact the course coordinator to ensure that these will meet the essay requirements.