NTSB Most Wanted List, 2015

      The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recently published it's "Most Wanted" list for 2015 and this discussion will be focusing on the two aviation issues, "Prevent loss of control in flight in general aviation" and "Strengthen procedural compliance".  Issues identified by the NTSB that have caused fatalities or could potentially cause fatalities are definitely a significant problem.  An interesting fact regarding fatal accidents in general aviation is that they are at an all-time low.  "The accident rate per 100,000 flight hours dipped to 5.85, continuing a steady historic decline.  In all last year, 221 fatal GA crashes killed 387 people.  That is the lowest number of people killed in GA accidents since World War II" (Pope, 2014).  Some people in the aviation industry may disagree with NTSB highlighting general aviation loss-of-control accidents on the most wanted list.  AOPA President Mark Baker was quoted in an AOPA article that stated "Safety is the top priority for every pilot on every flight, and that’s reflected in the steady decline in GA accident rates,”  he goes on to mention “By putting loss-of-control accidents on its Most Wanted list, the NTSB is sustaining the focus on an issue that has been at the forefront of safety efforts by AOPA, the aviation industry, and the FAA for some time” (Tennyson, 2013).  

There are many efforts constantly operating to continue to create a safe environment in the aviation industry and that it has been an objective improving for many years.  Even though these issues are nothing new in aviation, they will always have a need for review of training to implement prevention and compliance.  Regardless, if your flying in the general aviation community or with commercial aviation, when a pilot doesn't receive precise training, doesn't comply with procedures, isn't honest about their knowledge level of stalls, or doesn't properly prepare and avoid hazardous situations, they could potentially create a significant problem with numerous lives at risk.   

     There are many factors that impact safety negatively in the general aviation community and for commercial aviation.  However, the greatest factor that impacts safety in the entire aviation industry is complacency, which includes human errors.  If a pilot receives the best training, properly follows procedures, recognizes the warning signs, and avoids hazardous situations, complacency will always be a threat that could gradually surface until something bad happens.  "In reviewing NTSB accident reports, it appears that inaction is far too common. Why? A few guesses: The pilot missed the clues that a problem was developing, underestimated the problem and action required, or was simply indecisive" (Anzalone, n.d.).  Boeing's chief engineer stated that "Human error has been documented as a primary contributor to more than 70 percent of commercial airplane hull-loss accidents" (Graeber, n.d.).  Human factors has been an increasingly popular subject for many years, which is the fundamental issue behind most aviation accidents and incidents.  

The NTSB created a list of recommendations for each topic area in the two items reviewed.  
Prevent loss of control in flight in general aviation:

                Pilots should:

• be prepared to recognize the warning signs of an impending stall, and be able to apply appropriate recovery techniques before stall onset.
• be honest with themselves about their knowledge level of stalls, and their ability to recognize and handle them.
• utilize aeronautical decision making (ADM) techniques and flight risk assessment tools during both preflight planning and inflight operations.
• manage distractions so that they do not interfere with situational awareness.
• understand, properly train, and maintain currency in the equipment and airplanes they operate. They should take advantage of available commercial trainer, type club and transition training opportunities.

     
  Strengthen procedural compliance:
       The NTSB has recommended procedural improvements, including:

• requiring pilots to conduct landing distance assessments,
• revising the procedures for handling thrust reverser lockout after landing, and
• in non-precision approaches, discontinuing so-called dive-and-drive approaches in favor of continuous descent final approaches.

     These recommendations for each topic area appear to be reasonable due to the level of responsibility each pilot is required to safely maintain in the general aviation community and during commercial aviation operations.  Aviation accidents and incidents are linked with a chain of errors, which some of the time may start with initial training or non-compliant continued training.  When a pilot is trained accurately from the beginning, they will inherit the required skills and knowledge to continue to be current and proficient, while safety being their top priority in the aircraft on every flight. 

References

Anzalone, B.  (n.d.).  AOPA Air Safety Foundation.  Human factors in general aviation.  Knowledge of our weaknesses is power.  Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/inst_reports2.cfm?article=4875 

Graeber, C.  (n.d.).  Aero Magazine.  The role of human factors in improving aviation safety.  Retrieved from http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_08/human_textonly.html 

Jansen, B.  (2014, March 31).  Usa Today.  Asiana airlines says pilot flying too slow before crash.  Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2014/03/31/asiana-crash-ntsb-san-francisco-boeing-autothrottle/6574165/

Pope, S.  (2014, September 16).  Flying.  Fatal General Aviation Crashes Drop To All-Time Low.  Retrieved from http://www.flyingmag.com/technique/accidents/fatal-general-aviation-crashes-drop-all-time-low

Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl7_2015.aspx

Strengthen Procedural Compliance. (n.d.). Retrieved February 8, 2015, from http://www.ntsb.gov/safety/mwl/Pages/mwl10_2015.aspx

Tennyson, E.  (2015, January 13).  AOPA.  GA safety improving as NTSB targets loss of control.  Retrieved from http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/January/13/GA-safety-improving-as-NTSB-targets-loss-of-control