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Exploring human error in military aviation flight safety events using post-incident classification systems
Brionny J Hooper1, David P A O'Hare
1Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|August 10, 2013
Summary
Skill-based errors in military aviation are more common in rotary-wing aircraft and linked to organizational factors. The Cognitive Error Taxonomy (CET) enhances the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) for analyzing pilot error.
Area of Science:
- Aviation safety
- Human factors research
- Accident investigation
Background:
- Human error classification systems (HECS) aid objective post-accident analysis.
- The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) and Cognitive Error Taxonomy (CET) are key frameworks.
- HFACS focuses on interrelationships, while CET offers greater detail on unsafe acts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of higher-level organizational factors on front-line operator errors.
- To compare human error types in fixed-wing versus rotary-wing military aviation incidents.
- To evaluate the utility of HFACS and CET in analyzing aircraft accidents.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 288 military aircraft incidents involving human error.
- Data collected from an Australasian military organization between 2001 and 2008.
- Comparison of incident data using both HFACS and CET frameworks.
Main Results:
- Rotary-wing incidents had a higher proportion of action errors (44%) than fixed-wing (23%).
- Both HFACS and CET revealed links between precursor factors (environment, mental state, CRM, training) and skill-based errors.
- CET demonstrated distinct predisposing factors for different types of skill-based behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Skill-based errors are more frequent in rotary-wing military operations and associated with supervisory processes.
- The Cognitive Error Taxonomy provides enhanced granularity for HFACS in analyzing unsafe acts.
- Understanding these factors is crucial for improving aviation safety and reducing pilot error.
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