Product Description

After landing safely back at the airport with a fire on board, no exit was opened for 23 minutes and 301 people inside perished. Investigations into the causes of aircraft accidents often focus on what happened and who did it - but very rarely on why, which is the question the author addresses in this book. He propounds that the cause should be sought deeper inside human beings who make simple human errors rather than simply "pilot error". David Beaty analyzes not only human error flying accidents, but also the latest predisposing errors made by management and government. This book was recommended in a House of Lords debate on aircraft safety.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #131246 in Books
• Published on: 1995-01-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 328 pages

Customer Reviews

This book merits a wider audience than just aviation buffs.
This book's title is certainly eye-catching! Its formal subtitle, "The Human Factor in Aircraft Accidents", however, may put off some who would do well to read it.

The author is a former Royal Air Force and airline pilot who has spent much time studying the psychological factors contributing to aircraft accidents.

Although the main emphasis of the book is on incidents involving aircraft, including several well-known crashes, much of it is relevant to other modes of transport, and to many other activities. Several times I was reminded of things which can all too easily go wrong in my own work in software development.

The book will be of most interest to aviation buffs, who will spot a sprinkling of errors which have slipped passed the proof-reader to be caught by the last clause of the acknowledgements: "the views, opinions, and human errors are mine alone." (I like a chap who places a comma after "opinions" like that.)

However, I do not believe that the broader psychological issues are unduly obscured for those with no particular interest in aviation, and this is a worthwhile read for anyone with an interest in safety, or simply in getting things right.

Very comprehensive
Very good read. Gives a great insight to how various human factors affect pilots and shows how they are still human after all.
A good read and will keep your attention.

Every bit as good as Hurst's Pilot Error!
I was excited to read this book because I had at last found someone who was able to identify and discuss behavioural phenomena that I had noticed about myself while engaged in stressful outdoor activities: i.e. diving, flying or skydiving. I used to think it was only me and was not even aware of, for example, the word "laterality" until I read Beaty's book. I think his analysis of air accidents has wider applications in any field of human endeavour. By reflecting and becoming more aware of how we respond under stress we can achieve more through scientific analysis. One thing I found puzzling is why Beaty made no reference in the bibliography or text to another well-known book on the subject. I refer to Pilot Error: The Human Factors, edited by the late Ronald Hurst. Was it because Beaty objects to the term "pilot error", or was it because Hurst does not refer to Beaty's work in his book? Is there some kind of professional rivalry involved or does Beaty refuse to acknowledge Hurst's contribution because he was not a pilot? There's something going on there and I'm curious to know what it is