Preflight Mistakes, Avoiding Bad Habits
Everything that occurs before we pull back on the controls is part of the preflight process. Reviewing weather, checklists, flight details, and conducting a risk assessment all comprise of a good preflight. We strive to execute our flight to the best of our ability, similar to how athlete preps their body before a match. Training can only take us so far, and it's the application of our training that determines if we are safe or not.
Flight Instructor: Dave Kollins
Published Oct 11, 2024
This article will overview case studies, non-compliance risks, the significance of checklists, and methods for avoiding bad habits.
The Gist
- Non-procedural compliance induces accidents
- We can use tools to help us comply with procedures and checklist
- Bad habits don’t hurt us all the time, but when they do, they are detrimental
Case Studies
In May 2014, a Gulfstream G IV overran the runway in Bedford, Massachusetts. During take-off, the crew realized they did not disengage the Anti-Gust Lock system.
This allows the pilot to have full authority and movement of the flight controls. The aircraft, now unable to be controlled, overshot the runway and crashed into the grass.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators determined the probable cause was the crew's failure to complete a "control check" (as stated in the checklist) before take-off. If the crew had performed a control check, they would have noticed that the Anti-Gust Lock system was still armed and taken steps to deactivate it. This accident happened due to non-compliance.
(Massachusetts State Police Aerial Photo of Crash Scene)
A year later, in May 2015, a Cessna 172 had a similar accident. The pilot began pulling back on the yoke when they realized the control lock was still installed. Unfortunately, their airspeed was too high to abort the take-off safely, and they crashed into the trees at the end of the runway.
Prior to both these accidents in August 2013, an Aernoca and Cessna 172 crashed because the control locks were still installed during take-off.
Four similar accidents occurred in two years!
This prompted the NTSB to publish a safety alert for pilots. The report contains recommendations to stop the dangerous trend of omitting checklists and intentional non-procedural compliance.
Checklists could have easily prevented these accidents.
We are trained to follow procedures and checklists, but why don't we?
Checkless Non-Compliance
Pilot non-compliance dates back to a 2008 FAA study. During the study, 60 major airlines were observed and the evaluator found 899 instances of non-compliance with procedures. This number is alarming. Twenty years have passed since then, and we've learned from our mistakes, right?
The NTSB found that the crew of the Gulfstream G IV was non-compliant 98% of the time during 176 flights. This pattern of non-compliance ended with an accident.
The concern with non-compliance is that it may not have immediate consequences. Over time, we psychologically condition ourselves to believe that if something doesn't go wrong initially, it won't in the future. This is wrong, as the practice non-compliance eventually catches up to us.
How can we overcome this?
What can we do to be safer?
How can we stop ourselves from bad habits on the flight deck?
The Checklist
Checklist slow us down and can even be distracting in the cockpit. It's not ideal to put your head down during critical phases of flight to complete one; however, completing checklists is always necessary, regardless of experience. Just as we write down and confirm we have everything before leaving a supermarket, we should do the same when flying. We can all agree forgetting the bread is one thing, but forgetting the landing gear is much more severe.
What methods can we use to maintain our situational awareness and still complete checklist?
Flow-Verify Method
The Flow-Verify method can be used for all aircraft to prevent distractions and ensure procedures are followed. This method involves going through the checklist items from memory via a hand flow pattern, then double-checking with a checklist when time permits. By consistently using this method, you will instinctively train your brain to perform all the checklist items from memory. Our hands and eyes will smoothly "flow" through the checklist with repetition of this method. Attached is an example of the flow and verify method provided by AOPA.
(The flow progression for the first seven items in Citation M2’s pre-taxi checklist Kevin Hand, AOPA)
Mnemonics
Mnemonics, along with the Flow-Verify method, is a helpful tool during a busy flight deck. Although mnemonics are not specific to any aircraft, these short phrases cover the most important items associated with any checklist. Here are a few of the most common aviation mnemonics I recommend using when flying any aircraft.
Completing checklists, flows, and mnemonics increases your chances of remembering everything necessary for a safe flight. While checklists slow us down, I can't stress enough to complete them!
Avoiding Bad Habits
While the Gulfstream G IV crew did not comply with the checklist, this is not the primary issue related to the accident. The fundamental cause of this crash is bad habits. We're all susceptible to adapting bad habits after or even during training, so what are some ways to identify and eliminate them?
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Get a second opinion Flying with a flight instructor or highly experienced pilot is an excellent way to identify any bad habits you may have picked up. A humbling lifelong student mentality will help identify and correct any habits you may have adapted after training.
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Review human factor-related accidents. Typically, all human-factor related accidents involve a combination of bad habits. Reviewing these case studies should remind us to reevaluate any bad habits we have, and adjust our flying to prevent the same mistake. We need to learn from accidents, no one is immune.
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Self-Discipline Pilots like to make flying easier for themselves, as a result we pick up bad habits. The discipline to take a systematic approach to flying is critical to being a successful pilot. A methodical pilot will always have the self-discipline to trust their training and avoid bad habits.
Summary
Everyone is vulnerable to an accident. One moment we think we're safe, the next we question a decision we made. This is why flying is both challenging and humbling. As complex as flying is, it is vital to trust and follow our training. Just as you would want a surgeon to follow procedures and repair the correct organ when operating on you, similarly we must fly by the book. No new tricks! Training will always and forever be the key to a safe pilot. Let's do the checklist, trust our training, and be safer pilots.
References
“N9959V CESSNA 172M.” Aviation Accident Summary, Aviation Accident Summaries
Flight Control Locks: Overlooking the Obvious. NTSB, 2015.
Checklists, Monitoring, and Multitasking in Cockpit Operations.