Aviation prominent in transportation safety wish list
Established in 1967, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency that investigates accidents in aviation, as well as significant catastrophes in other modes of transportation including highway, marine, pipeline and hazardous materials, and rail. A probable cause of the accident is determined by the agency, in addition to recommendations on how to prevent them from happening again.
Every year since 1990, the NTSB has released a “Most Wanted List,” which serves as its premier advocacy tool and addresses all modes of transportation. The list identifies what is considered the top safety improvements that can be made to prevent accidents and save lives, and is created by lessons learned from previous investigations.
Recently, when announcing the list for next year, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board Christopher Hart stated that they have decided to move to a new two-year cycle that will “help to focus our advocacy efforts (and your coverage) on sustained progress.” At the one-year mark, progress that has been made on the items of the list will be reviewed and additional improvements added, if needed.
The following is the 2017-2018 Most Wanted List that pertains to the aviation industry. Most significant is the return of in-flight loss of control in general aviation, on the list for the third year, as well as repeating items related to fatigue, distractions, medical fitness and substance impairments.
Prevent Loss of Control in Flight in General Aviation
Although in-flight loss of control (LOC) accidents in general aviation in the United States are decreasing, the NTSB notes that they still occur at an unacceptable rate. Between 2008 to 2014, nearly 48 percent of fatal fixed-wing GA accidents resulted from pilots losing control of their aircraft in flight. During this time, LOC in flight accounted for 1,194 fatalities. According to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), business aviation LOC accidents are a subset of the broader GA spectrum, and the alarming consistency of catastrophic outcomes in this type of accident compels an effort to better understand and control LOC risks. The NBAA’s Safety Committee has created a resource regarding this issue for business aviation, “Loss of Control In-Flight” which can be found under the Safety section of its website (www.nbaa.org).
Per the NTSB’s information, the most common type of LOC is a stall, including a post-stall spin, which can occur when the pilot allows the aircraft to enter a flight regime outside its normal flight envelope. Stalls may happen because a pilot lacks understanding about how a stall actually relates to exceeding a wing’s critical angle of attack (AOA), as opposed to the more common idea that it’s just related to airspeed. When airplanes are close to the ground, such as in a landing pattern, there is limited time and altitude available to recover from a stall or spin, making these stalls particularly deadly. Although LOC happens in all phases of flight, approach to landing, maneuvering and initial climb are, statistically, the deadliest phases of flight for LOC accidents.
The NTSB recommends the following for pilots to prevent LOC accidents:
- Understand stall characteristics and warning signs, and be able to apply appropriate recovery techniques before stall onset.
- Realize that stall characteristics can vary with aircraft loading and are usually worse at aft CG positions.
- Be aware that stall can occur at a lower AOA in icing conditions.
- Use effective aeronautical decision-making techniques and flight risk assessment tools during both preflight planning and in-flight operations.
- Manage distractions so that they do not interfere with situational awareness.
- Obtain training in emergency response skills so it is more natural to apply those skills in an emergency situation.
- Understand and maintain currency in the equipment and airplanes being operated.
- Take advantage of available commercial trainer, type club and transition training opportunities.
- Consider installing new technology, such as an AOA indicator, which, when coupled with pilot understanding and training on how best to use it, can assist pilots during critical or high-workload phases of flight.
The NTSB believes that “pilots play the most critical role in preventing LOC accidents through ongoing education, flight currency, self-assessment, use of available technologies and vigilant situational awareness in the cockpit.”
If there is something on the list above or the NBAA’s information of LOC in business aviation that you could improve upon, it would be worth investing in, as it might lead to a situation of life or death.
Reduce Fatigue-Related Accidents
For a corporate pilot or crew member of a flight department, it is up to the company you work for to ensure you have enough off-duty time to get high-quality sleep. However, it is up to the pilot, whether they are a corporate or an owner/pilot, to use the off-duty time to get sufficient and quality rest.
According to the NTSB, human fatigue can be acute or chronic; both often arise from poor sleep and inadequate health management. The consequences of fatigue on human performance can be subtle. Operators may not recognize loss of attention, slowed reaction times and poor judgment until it is too late.
As a pilot, it is your individual responsibility to manage your own personal fatigue, and be aware that some medical conditions may affect sleep quality – obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), insomnia and restless legs syndrome, for example. Also, be informed of impairing drugs that can impact the quality and duration of sleep, as well as some over-the-counter (OTC) medicines that have sleep-inducing effects. If you are unsure about the medication, check out the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) website for a list.
The NTSB believes that “ultimately, fatigue-related accidents can be avoided with a combination of science-based regulations, comprehensive fatigue risk management programs, and individual responsibility.”
Eliminate Distractions
The increasing popularity and availability of portable electronic devices (PED) in recent years has led to increased potential for pilots to get distracted in the cockpit. Non-essential conversation was an early form of disruption in the cockpit, and the increase of PEDs has only accentuated the risk. The NTSB explains that “focusing attention on a PED or non-essential distraction can erode the margins of safety the aviation industry has built up over years with procedures, equipment and training.” Distraction in the cockpit can interfere with the pilot’s ability to complete tasks and maintain situational awareness, which could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Compared to other modes of transportation, the NTSB states that the aviation industry has long recognized the need for “sterile cockpit” procedures that restrict activities and conversations to the task at hand. In 1981, the FAA introduced the “sterile cockpit rule” (Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121.542), which prohibits distracting personal activities during critical phases of flight, including all ground operations involving taxi, takeoff and landing and flight operations below 10,000 feet (except cruise). This rule strictly prohibits the flight crew from engaging in specific distracting activities.
The NTSB has also asked for a ban on PED use on the flight deck, and in 2014 the FAA issued its final rule on the Prohibition on Personal Use of Electronic Devices on the Flight Deck, publishing guidance encouraging the aviation industry to expand procedure manuals and training programs to include other personnel in the prohibition of PEDs in the operational environment.
Require Medical Fitness
The NTSB professes that the aviation medical certification process is the most comprehensive fitness evaluation system, in comparing the other modes of transportation, but states that a certificate does not give a pilot a free pass for the duration of the document. It is the pilot’s responsibility to recognize when they are not fit to fly and remove themselves from the task until they are healthy. It also points out that pilots are increasingly testing positive for over-the-counter sedating medications. It is essential that pilots understand the effects of OTC medications and, for those medications with sedating or impairing side effects, follow FAA guidance or talk with their medical professionals to determine when they are medically fit to return to flying.
Operating aircraft requires full cognitive and physical capabilities, and pertains not only to pilots, but also maintenance personnel and other aviation safety-critical functions.
End Alcohol and Other Drug Impairment
As mentioned earlier, many drugs (including OTC drugs) have impairing side effects, and the NTSB notes that determining the relationship between a drug’s presence in the body and an individual’s ability to operate an airplane is very complex.
A 2014 NTSB report, “Drug Use Trends in Aviation: Assessing the Risk of Pilot Impairment,” showed increasing trends in pilots’ use of all drugs – potentially impairing drugs, drugs used to treat potentially impairing conditions, drugs designated as controlled substances and illicit drugs. Although evidence of illicit drug use was found only in a small number of cases, the percentage of pilots testing positive for marijuana use increased during the study period, mostly in the last 10 years.
The 2014 study showed that the prevalence of potentially impairing drugs in fatally injured accident pilots increased from an average of 11 percent during the period from 1990 to 1997 to an average of 23 percent during the period from 2008 to 2012. During the same time periods, positive marijuana results increased from 1.6 percent to 3 percent. The most commonly found impairing substance in fatal crashes was diphenhydramine, a sedating antihistamine found in OTC medications.
IMSAFE Checklist
I llness – Am I sick? Illness is an obvious pilot risk.
M edication – Am I taking any medicines that might affect my judgment or make me drowsy?
S tress – Am I under psychological pressure from the job? Do I have money, health, or family problems? Stress causes concentration and performance problems. While the regulations list medical conditions that require grounding, stress is not among them. The pilot should consider the effects of stress on performance.
A lcohol – Have I been drinking within eight hours? Within 24 hours? As little as one ounce of liquor, one bottle of beer, or four ounces of wine can impair flying skills. Alcohol also renders a pilot more susceptible to disorientation and hypoxia.
F atigue – Am I tired and not adequately rested? Fatigue continues to be one of the most insidious hazards to flight safety, as it may not be apparent to a pilot until serious errors are made.
E motion – Am I emotionally upset?
The NTSB suggests that pilots should be familiar with the Aeronautical Information Manual’s “IMSAFE” checklist (shown above), which helps assess and verify if they are healthy and fit for flight. The checklist includes assessing if various issues, like illness, medication or alcohol, may impair their ability to fly safely. It also asks that pilots taking any medication should talk to their pharmacist, aviation medical examiner or private physician to determine the effects of those medications and whether there are any dangerous interactions that can occur when using multiple medications. Additionally, read the package warnings for all medications, heed the warnings and don’t fly after taking sedating and impairing medications until you are no longer experiencing the detriments of the medication. Finally, to ensure the adverse effects of a medicine have resolved, pilots should follow the FAA recommended minimum wait times between the last dose of the medication and performing pilot duties, which is five times the maximum dosing interval.
The light weight and high energy density of lithium batteries, including lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), has made it a common power source for PEDs, electronic flight bags (EFBs), as well as some aircraft systems. As the popularity for these batteries has grown, it has been reported that the FAA has seen an increase in related accidents, incidents and service difficulty reports. For this reason, the NTSB recognizes the need to address the safety of lithium batteries on airplanes.
On the 2011 Most Wanted List, the NTSB included the safe transportation of lithium batteries on aircraft. For 2017-2018, they have expanded it to include other hazardous material while recognizing the continuing importance of lithium batteries in aviation. Per the NTSB, lithium batteries installed as part of airplane systems have resulted in the release of smoke, fumes and flammable electrolytes. Testing has revealed that the fumes and electrolytes released in a lithium battery fire are potentially hazardous, and the fires themselves introduce a serious hazard to occupants and the aircraft.
The FAA, in conjunction with the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, has established a joint government-industry working group that is developing ways to make lithium battery fires less likely in aviation and to reduce the consequences in case they do occur.
Strengthen Occupant Protection
The NTSB recommends that “general aviation pilots and passengers should use shoulder restraints whenever possible, and small children should be secured in appropriately sized restraints, just as they are in passenger cars. Holding an infant in a lap during flight is not a sufficient safety measure; rather, car seats approved for use on aircraft ensure maximum safety for children, especially during takeoff and landing.”
Also, in all areas of aviation, including general aviation, the NTSB has found that inadequate evacuation procedures have placed crew and passengers at unnecessary risk following an accident. Pilots should consider reviewing with passengers before each flight what to do in case of an emergency or crash.
Expand Recorder Use to Enhance Safety
Per the NTSB, data, audio/voice and video recorders capture and store critical information that can assist investigators in determining the cause of aircraft accidents, which helps companies and operators take proactive steps to prevent them. Recorders can also aid companies and operators to establish effective safety management strategies. Data from recorders can be used to adjust procedures and enhance crew training to prevent accidents from happening in the first place.
Even though recorders are readily available, easily installed and largely affordable, the NTSB says there are still some aircraft that aren’t equipped with the recorders. It has stated that the benefits of recorders are many, and both regulators and operators should do more to see that these technologies – in all their forms – are installed and used to improve aviation safety.
Individual and Industry Actions Needed
“General aviation has seen enormous gains in terms of safety in recent years,” said George Perry, senior vice president of AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. He cited data showing the fatal accident rate has dropped from 1.73 per 100,000 flight hours in 1994 to 0.89 in 2015.
The NBAA states that it views its most important responsibility as advancing business aviation safety and fostering development of industry safety best practices. Its Safety Committee identifies the association’s Top Safety Focus Areas every year, which highlight the priorities to support business aviation safety. The safety issues are developed from the committee’s data-driven annual risk assessment, with the NTSB’s Most Wanted list regarding aviation being some of that data. According to the NBAA Safety Committee, “the focus areas are intended to help promote safety-enhancing discussions and initiatives within flight departments and among owner-flown operations.”
AOPA’s Perry says it will continue to advocate on behalf of aircraft owners and pilots, including pushing for friendlier policies and regulations that make it easier to install safety equipment on the existing GA fleet.
The various aviation groups are doing what they can to assist aircraft owners and operators in terms of safety. Are you taking advantage of what they are offering and doing all that you can?
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