Deal With Distractions

Wednesday, October 28, 2020 at 09:29 AM ET

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We all love our pets, but unless you know your pet will be well behaved and not present a distraction, it might be best left at home.

Key Takeaways:

Cockpit distractions, identified by the NTSB as a critical safety concern, range from minor annoyances to fatal errors, as demonstrated by instructor tests, passenger anxiety, and accidents like Eastern Flight 401, which resulted from preoccupation with a landing gear light.
Distractions can originate from diverse sources including passengers, aircraft systems, air traffic control, and a pilot's own inexperience, all of which demand constant vigilance.
Effective distraction management involves implementing a "sterile cockpit," thoroughly briefing passengers on IMC conditions and communication etiquette, strategic ATC interaction, proactive avionics planning, and always prioritizing the core principle to "fly the airplane."

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Many of life’s distractions are enjoyable, but cockpit distractions can have tragic consequences. For years, the NTSB has made “Eliminate Distractions” one of their Ten Most Wanted safety improvements.

In Ernest Gann’s Fate is the Hunter, he describes a night approach as a DC-2 First Officer while Captain Ross lit matches in front of Gann’s nose to distract him. Ross later made the famous statement, “Anyone can do this job when things are going right. In this business, we play for keeps.”