• 21
  • July
    2010

Each plane crash is unique. With any aviation accident, a variety of factors and circumstances contribute to the ultimate crash, and these precise circumstances are almost certain never to arise again.

However, the overarching causes of accidents are often similar. The Federal Aviation Administration has developed five common themes among airplane accidents: human error, flawed assumptions, organizational lapses, unintended effects and pre-existing failures.

Human Error: Almost every airplane crash involves some form of human error; in some cases, it is the primary cause while in other situations human error simply aggravates existing problems. A pilot may fail to recognize that he or she is bringing the plane down too quickly, resulting in a crash landing before reaching the runway. A member of a maintenance crew may not properly inspect the plane before take-off, thereby failing to notice that a component of the plane has become worn or needs repair. An air traffic control operator may provide unclear instructions, causing multiple pilots to presume they are clear for landing or ready for takeoff at the same time.

Flawed Assumption: When designing, operating and maintaining aircraft, those involved rely on certain assumptions about the aircraft and the potential circumstances it might encounter. When these assumptions are incorrect, the results can be catastrophic.

For example, in the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, the vertical stabilizer separated in the midst of a flight, causing the plane to crash. This separation occurred because of the first officer’s “unnecessary and excessive rudder pedal inputs.” Those designing the aircraft had not accounted for the possibility that the pedal would be used excessively, and the airplane crash occurred as a result.

Organizational Lapses: The safe operation of an airplane requires effective communication among many people. When an airline’s processes and procedures are not established to ensure that this communication takes place, accidents may occur. For example, when Continental Express Flight 2574 crashed, investigators determined that missing screw fasteners caused the crash. These fasteners had been removed as part of scheduled maintenance, but they were never replaced as they should have been prior to flight.

Unintended Effects: Processes, procedures and designs are frequently reviewed in the interest of making air transportation safer and more efficient. Unfortunately, changes to established procedures may have unanticipated consequences. In some cases these consequences may not be apparent for years after the original changes were initiated. When Dan-Air Services Flight 707-300 crashed, investigators determined that design changes intended to strengthen the stabilizer structure had inadvertently resulted in more stress, and ultimately caused the stabilizer to fail.

Pre-existing Failures: Some planes have design or manufacturing defects that can cause them to crash. These problems may be systemic across a fleet of airplanes or they may only exist on a single plane. When Turk Hava Flight TK981 crashed in France, for example, the accident was caused by a problem with the door latching mechanism. The mechanism was not properly engaged before takeoff, which allowed the door to come off of the plane while in-flight.

As these categories indicate, plane accidents almost always occur as the result of someone’s negligence. An individual may trigger a crash by negligently perform his or her duties, the airline may have system-wide problems allowing for accidents to arise, or the plane manufacturer may build the plane in a way that makes it susceptible to malfunction.

Accordingly, in many plane accidents, there are several potential parties who may be held liable for the collisions. For more information about liability following a plane accident, speak to a knowledgeable personal injury attorney.