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2007

Graceful Arrivals 4 pages. [PDF 269K]

Compliance with world stardards reduces the opportunity for error using visual docking guidance systems.

Defusing the Ramp 5 pages. [PDF 307K]

Progress report on FSF efforts to stem the toll of ground accidents.

Premium Influence 5 pages. [PDF 323K]

Perspectives of aviation insurers widen the scope of resources available to aircraft operations risk managers.

2006

Walking Into Trouble 8 pages. [PDF 464K]

Accidents involving human contact with propellers and rotor blades persist, despite safety efforts to prevent them.

Chilling Effects 2 pages. [PDF 1,100K]

Investigative authorities on two continents seek regulatory action on 10 anti-icing safety recommendations.

2005

Unlocking the Potential of a Safety Management System 36 pages. [PDF 796K]

Chief executive officers have comprehensive guidance available to weave a strong safety net from their disparate safety programs. An SMS offers airlines a more realistic picture of operational risks and an objective method to allocate constrained resources, while eventually enabling regulators to focus on system-level oversight.

A Roadmap to a Just Culture: Enhancing the Safety Environment 52 pages. [PDF 928K]

Even an organization that promotes a ‘no blame’ culture cannot tolerate irresponsible or careless acts. This report offers guidelines for a ‘just culture’ that balances trust, which encourages reporting of safety-related information, with strict but fair consequences for unacceptable behavior.

Absence of Aircraft Load Data Cited in Failed Takeoff in Benin 6 pages. [PDF 98K]

No documents accurately showed the B-727’s weight and balance. The airplane’s takeoff weight likely was higher and its center of gravity likely was farther forward than the values calculated by the flight crew. High-density-altitude conditions prevailed during the attempted departure from a relatively short runway.

Training Deficiency Leaves Catering Driver Unprepared to Resolve Disorientation 4 pages. [PDF 68K]

During takeoff, an Airbus A330 passed directly over a motor vehicle that inadvertently was being operated on the same runway. Although experienced and authorized to drive on parts of the Sydney International Airport movement area, the driver had neither a two-way radio nor guidance for this situation, said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Disagreements About Deicing, Post-deicing Inspection Contribute to Serious Incident 4 pages. [PDF 70K]

Citing inadequate procedures for contracting airport ground services, the Italian Air Safety Board said that the flight crew of a Fokker 70 did not recognize that the wings were cold-soaked, suspect formation of clear ice or inspect the upper-wing surface before takeoff.

2004

Propeller Injures Maintenance Technician During Apron Check of Deicing Boots 4 pages. [PDF 90K]

Inadequate coordination of airport police officers and other specialists hindered the emergency response and the accident investigation, said the Dutch Transport Safety Board. Investigators also found that the supervisor knew that the maintenance technician had worked only on turbojet airplanes and had limited line experience.

Communicating From the Pushback-tractor Seat Helps Prevent Serious Injuries 4 pages. [PDF 76K]

Accident investigations, working groups and surveys have recommended methods of increasing worker safety during pushback operations. Airlines and ramp service contractors have adopted engineering solutions and many changes based on awareness of human factors.

Data Limit Ongoing Analysis of ARFF-vehicle Rollover Accidents 4 pages. [PDF 80K]

Preventing lateral loss of control in aircraft rescue and fire fighting vehicles with a high center of gravity can require countermeasures such as vehicle-specific driver-operator training, vehicle-suspension modifications and lateral-acceleration warning devices.

Prompt Treatment May Minimize Knee Problems and Their Interference With Flight Duties and Daily Routines 8 pages [PDF 261K]

Knee injuries and diseases such as arthritis of the knee are common. Treatments may be as simple as resting or modifying exercise routines or as complex as a surgical replacement of the knee.

2003

B-747 Collision With Airbridge Follows Apparent Brake Failure 4 pages. [PDF 77K]

Passenger behavior — described by the chief cabin attendant as a ‘riot’ prompted by observations of wing-tank fuel venting — complicated the flight crew’s return to the gate in response to a failed engine instrument. Failure to manually connect an auxiliary hydraulic pump rendered the aircraft brake system inoperative for taxi.

High-visibility Clothing Alone Fails to Protect Workers From Being Struck by Vehicles 6 pages. [PDF 82K]

Reviewing U.S. injuries/fatalities, air carrier data and international airport surveys, a study by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration found an industry consensus favoring comprehensive apron-safety programs at airports. Conspicuity of workers often was not a factor in accidents.

Compliance With Safety Practices Is Best Method of Avoiding Eye Injuries 8 pages. [PDF 198K]

Loss of vision can be caused by exposure to chemicals and radiation, as well as trauma to the eye. Specialists say that with proper precautions, more than 90 percent of eye injuries could be prevented.

2002

Operator’s Flight Safety Handbook 116 pages. [PDF 1,188K]

This special issue of Flight Safety Digest presents the “Operator’s Flight Safety Handbook,” which was developed by the Global Aviation Information Network (GAIN) to provide aircraft operators with guidelines for establishing or improving internal safety programs. GAIN is an industry-led international coalition of aircraft operators, manufacturers, aviation organizations and government authorities formed in 1996 to promote and facilitate the voluntary collection and sharing of safety information to improve aviation safety.

Rapid Deplaning by Airbridge Requires Coordinated Procedures 8 pages. [PDF 54K]

The decision to use an airbridge for precautionary deplaning or emergency evacuation at the gate rests with the aircraft captain. The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority recommends that airports be involved in coordinating procedures used by crewmembers, gate agents, airbridge operators and aircraft rescue and fire fighting personnel.

Personal Protective Equipment Prevents Workplace Injuries 24 pages. [PDF 201K]

For maximum effectiveness, protective equipment must be appropriate for the environment in which it will be used, must fit the wearer correctly, must function well and must cause minimum discomfort.

2001

In Aircraft Fueling, Fire Prevention Requires Strict Compliance With Routine Procedures 16 pages. [PDF 110K]

Universally recommended practices for fueling transport aircraft have helped to maintain a low incidence of jet-fuel fires on airport ramps. Despite the few accidents on record, complacency, poor training, inadequate compliance with procedures or neglected maintenance can cause serious consequences.

2000

Improper Loading of Cargo Causes Loss of Aircraft Control on Approach 12 pages. [PDF 83K]

The Fokker F27 pitched nose-up when the flight crew extended full flaps on final approach. The crew did not regain control, and the aircraft stalled and struck the ground. The accident report said that the aircraft’s center of gravity was “significantly aft” of the approved limit.

Airfield Driver Training, Enforcement Help Prevent Aircraft-vehicle Collisions 8 pages. [PDF 57K]

Strictly limiting access of ground vehicles and ensuring that all drivers are authorized and qualified to operate on airport movement areas can enhance safety. Updating policies, procedures and training; using simulation technology; and identifying ‘hot spots’ also are believed to be effective.

Lower Back Pain Is a Common Complaint, But Precautionary Practices Help Pilots Cope 6 pages. [PDF 52K]

Some ailments may be the results of poor posture, stress, lack of exercise or improper design of work space.

1998

Misloaded Douglas DC-8 Pitches Up Excessively On Takeoff, then Stalls and Strikes the Ground 12 pages. [PDF 91K]

The cargo was not loaded aboard the airplane according to the airline’s instructions. As a result, the flight crew inadvertently used a horizontal-stabilizer-trim setting that was not correct for the airplane’s aft center of gravity.

Airline’s Five Unrestrained-cargo Incidents in Four Months Reveal Loading-procedure Deficiencies 6 pages. [PDF 56K]

The official investigation found factors that breached Air New Zealand’s defenses against errors in cargo loading. One incident investigated in detail involved reduced time available for loading, a modification to the automatic loading equipment, a loading team reduced in number and a busy loading foreman who delegated his oversight duties.

Survey of Airline Baggage Handlers Suggests Methods to Prevent Back Injuries 8 pages. [PDF 56K]

A recent opinion survey of 156 baggage handlers explored the causes and prevention of back injuries in their occupation. Most of the participants, employed by 10 airlines and two ground-handling companies, said that manual handling and stacking of baggage within the baggage compartments of narrowbody aircraft pose the highest risk of back injury.

1997

Miscommunication Leads to Three Fatalities During Ground Deicing of Aircraft 6 pages. [PDF 148K]

One deicing vehicle was parked on each side of the Boeing 747’s fuselage and forward of its horizontal stabilizers. The vehicles’ operator buckets were extended on telescoping booms 15 meters (49 feet) above the ground when the aircraft taxied forward into the booms and overturned the vehicles. Three members of the deicing crew were killed when they were thrown from the buckets.

Knowledge of Hazardous Chemicals in the Aviation Workplace Can Help Prevent Work-related Illness and Injury 28 pages. [PDF 387K]

Aviation maintenance facilities use a number of substances containing chemicals that regulatory agencies have labeled as toxic. These include solvents, cleaning agents, hydraulic fluids, coolants and fuels. Inappropriate exposure to or ingestion of toxic substances may lead to illness or injury, ranging from short-term effects such as headache, shortness of breath and dizziness, to paralysis, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, blindness, respiratory ailments and even death.

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