5 Common Causes of Aviation Accidents
For some people, flying in a plane can be exciting. One cannot help but be awed by the sight of the clouds and the tiny houses. On the other hand, some people also have apprehensions for flying. According to the website of Williams Kherker, the extreme height and speed involved in an airplane makes aviation accidents devastating.
Figures from the National Safety Council gives us an assurance that the odds of dying in an aviation accident is at about 1 in 7,178 compared to a car which is at 1 in 98. In addition, a report by OAG Aviation and PlaneCrashInfo.com places the odds of death in one of the top 78 major world airlines is one in 4.7 million. But luck will not always be on the side of the passenger. Here are 5 common causes of plane accidents:
- Pilot Error. Half of all plane crashes were due to pilot error. This is quite understandable considering that pilots have a lot to do in the airplane. They navigate through dangerous waters, respond to mechanical issues, oe execute a safe takeoff and landing. Accidents result from pilots miscalculating equipment, misjudging weather conditions, or their failure to recognize mechanical errors.
- Mechanical Error. Mechanical error accounts for 22% of all aviation accidents. When situations like this happens, the pilot is at the mercy of the planer. Mechanical errors may be caused by errors in the plane’s design. Some examples of plane crashes due to mechanical errors include the 1974 crash of a Turkish Airlines flight to France and a 1955 West African Airways flight. The former crashed due to a flaw in the latch of a cargo door while the latter crashed as a result of flaws in its wing design.
- Weather. 12% of plane crashes were due to weather conditions. Although flights are usually cancelled during hazardous conditions such as storms or heavy winds and even fog can be a challenge for pilots and air traffic controllers. Lightning can disable planes in a variety of ways. It can cause electrical failures, ignite fuel tanksand pipes, and others.
- Sabotage . A clear example of a plane accident due to sabotage was the 9/11 accident where threre flights were hijacked and crashed into the two World Trade Center towers. Although the TSA has strict regulations, passengers can still sneek in bombs or firearms into planes.Sabotage accounted fo 9% of total crashes.
- Other Human Error. 7% of plane crashes are atrtributed to other human error. Examples would be air traffic control mistakes, overloaded planes, improper fuel load or maintenance errors.