Essay: Accident Risk Assessment

For this short essay (200–300 words), you will be analyzing risk factors in completed accident reports. First, look through completed accident reports available on the NTSB website Aviation Accident Reports. (https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx)
You can search this site using the column headings for accident date, report date, etc.
Find an accident you think is interesting, download the PDF file, and examine the listed findings and probable cause(s). Considering the Safety Management Systems process, outline the risks the pilot(s) faced. Then, using your 20/20 hindsight, what controls might have been implemented to mitigate the likelihood or severity of the accident? Finally, are the risks you identified considered “future risks” (as depicted in NASA FAST Study from the Module 8 resources)? If so, what are possible mitigation controls to lessen the likelihood or severity of a future accident?
Overview
Fire exit sign in smoky airplane cabin.Early in aviation, accidents were often the result of some type of mechanical breakdown. Reciprocating engines were troublesome, instruments were rudimentary, and manufacturing processes were inexact. Over time, advancements in not only manufacturing and technology but also regulation have improved immensely, and nowadays, most aircraft accidents are a result of human error.
To quote one of this week’s resources, the ICAO Safety Management Manual,
“While the elimination of aircraft accidents and/or serious incidents remains the ultimate goal, it is recognized that the aviation system cannot be completely free of hazards and associated risks. Human activities or human-built systems cannot be guaranteed to be absolutely free from operational errors and their consequences.”
With that philosophy in mind, this module focuses on current ICAO and FAA efforts to manage risk through Safety Management Systems. We also look at NASA’s future aviation safety concerns and analyze mitigation controls and strategies to prevent future accidents.
Module Objectives
Upon successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
Analyze risk management processes applicable to air transportation. (LO 6)
Describe the FAA’s Safety Management System (SMS) approach to aviation safety. (LO 4)
Discuss the systematic procedures, practices, and policies SMS sets forth for the management of safety risk. (LO 4)
Critically analyze unfamiliar material in the area of air transportation. (LO 8)
Demonstrate appropriate selection and application of a research method. (LO 9)
Prepare written reports in the required format. (LO 9) 