Predicting and mitigating failures on the flight deck: an aircraft engine bird strike scenario

Area of Science:

• Aviation Safety
• Human Factors in Aviation
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• Foreign object debris (FOD), particularly bird strikes, frequently cause aircraft engine damage.
• Minimizing disruption requires accurate information on engine operational status for flight crews.
• Understanding current procedures is crucial before designing new avionic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify potential failures flight crews may encounter when managing in-flight engine bird strikes.
• To analyze current procedures and crew responses to engine bird strike events.
• To propose remedial measures for future avionic system design.

Main Methods:

• Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) to map tasks involved in managing engine bird strikes.
• Systematic Human Error Reduction and Prediction Approach (SHERPA) to identify potential failures.
• Workshops with commercial pilots and Subject Matter Expert (SME) review for validation.

Main Results:

• Over 200 potential human failures were identified during engine bird strike management.
• Communication-related failures were the most commonly identified.
• Insights into current pilot practices for managing engine bird strikes were gathered.

Conclusions:

• The analysis provides a foundation for designing avionic systems to assist flight crews.
• Proposed remedial measures aim to mitigate identified human errors.
• Improved information systems can enhance flight crew response to engine malfunctions caused by FOD.