Mishaps happen for a number of reasons, but all too often theres a “what were they thinking?” element to an NTSB accident report. In the calm, clear skies of retrospect-or a motionless easy chair-its easy to condemn a bad decision and move on. But its not usually a single bad decision that causes tragedy. Pilots dont take off intentionally choosing to put themselves in a no-win situation; they dont mean to kill themselves, their families and friends. How do pilots come to make blatantly bad decisions? When can a decision made on the ground, perhaps weeks or months before the accident flight, be recognized for its potential contribution to a mishap? How can we catch our own bad choices before its too late? Maybe by examining some particularly egregious examples, we 288
Why It Went Wrong
Mishaps happen for a number of reasons, but all too often theres a "what were they thinking?" element to an NTSB accident report. In the calm, clear skies of retrospect-or a motionless easy chair-its easy to condemn a bad decision and move on. But its not usually a single bad decision that causes tragedy. Pilots dont take off intentionally choosing to put themselves in a no-win situation; they dont mean to kill themselves, their families and friends.
Key Takeaways:
- Pilot accidents often stem from a gradual "slippery slope" of accumulated small compromises and workarounds, rather than a single, intentional bad decision.
- Key factors contributing to these unsafe decisions include economic pressures leading to deferred maintenance, complacency regarding pre-flight preparation, overconfidence causing pilots to "show off" or exceed aircraft limits, and a reliance on minimum regulatory compliance over recommended safety practices for known deficiencies.
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