By: Shen Haijun (Professor at the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Tongji University, and Director of the Aircraft Engineering Research Institute, Tongji University)
At the beginning of 2024, within a short span of just over ten days, there have been a series of accidents in the civil aviation sector, some even resulting in aircraft damage and loss of life.
On January 2, at Haneda Airport in Japan, two aircraft collided, leading to the deaths of five people onboard the Japan Coast Guard plane and leaving one person critically injured. On January 4, also at Haneda Airport, a ground support vehicle collided with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft, causing damage to the wing and rendering it unable to fly.
On January 13, a Japan Airlines plane discovered a crack in the cockpit window after takeoff and had to make an emergency return. On January 14, at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a Japan Airlines flight collided with the tail of a Delta Air Lines plane during taxiing, resulting in minor damage to both aircraft. On January 16, at New Chitose Airport in Japan, a Korean Air passenger plane and a Cathay Pacific plane collided...
Causes of Aviation Accidents
Aviation accidents can generally be attributed to three main causes: human factors, hardware failures, and adverse weather conditions.Human factors include pilot errors, maintenance mistakes by ground crew, communication errors between pilots/ground crew, and aircraft collisions in the air or on the ground. The collision between the two aircraft at Haneda Airport on January 2 appears to be a result of insufficient safety time interval between takeoffs and landings, which indicates a communication problem between air traffic control and the pilots who received clearance for takeoffs and landings. The collision between the ground support vehicle and the aircraft at Haneda Airport on January 4 can be attributed to the fault of the vehicle driver. The collision incident at O'Hare Airport on January 14 may be related to errors made by the pilot or air traffic control. The ground crew at New Chitose Airport on January 16 is suspected of improper handling.Hardware failures include aircraft structural fatigue and failure, hydraulic control system malfunction, engine failures, and others. The incidents on January 5, where the emergency cabin door of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft detached mid-flight, and on January 13, where a crack was found in the cockpit window of a Japan Airlines aircraft during flight, are likely to be caused by fatigue damage near the aircraft's related structural fasteners. The collision incident at New Chitose Airport on January 16 does not rule out the possibility of a malfunction in the involved aircraft's hydraulic control system.Adverse weather conditions include dense fog, rain, snow, ground and aircraft icing, lightning, sudden gusts, crosswinds, and wind shear, among others. For example, during the ground collision between two aircraft at New Chitose Airport on January 16, it was snowing, and some people attribute the incident to slippery road surfaces.Of course, some aviation accidents are the result of a combination of two or all three of these factors.
How to Effectively Prevent Aviation Accidents
So, how can we prevent aviation accidents from happening? For airlines, it is important to strictly implement flight management systems and supervise the pilots' flying behavior and operations. Crew members should receive systematic and rigorous training and assessment to ensure their proficiency in flight technology and their ability to handle emergency situations. Regular maintenance and inspections should also be conducted to ensure the normal operation of aircraft equipment.For airports, it is necessary to enhance staff safety training and management to ensure that air traffic control, ground services, security personnel, and other related staff have sufficient professional knowledge and skills, thereby reducing the risk of aviation accidents.For aircraft manufacturers, aircraft design and manufacturing must comply with strict standards and specifications, and the aircraft structure must be sufficiently sturdy and reliable. Furthermore, continuous monitoring, inspections, and maintenance should be carried out based on the actual operations of the aircraft.Meanwhile, weather forecasting and air traffic control systems play a vital role in ensuring aviation safety. Meteorological departments need to provide timely and accurate weather information to flight crews, while air traffic control should provide reasonable flight guidance for flights, working together to ensure the safety of aircraft operations.
How to Travel Safely
As passengers, how can we ensure safe air travel? First of all, choose the appropriate model, age, and airline. Choosing a mature and reliable aircraft model can help avoid aviation accidents to a certain extent. Generally, older aircraft are more prone to mechanical failures. The Airbus and Boeing series aircraft that are mainly operated by Chinese airlines are very safe, and the domestically produced ARJ21 and C919 have excellent performance and are mostly new aircraft, so they can be prioritized for travel. Aircraft from countries such as the United States, Japan, and Australia, although older, have high maintenance levels and good safety reputations, so they can be relied upon for travel. However, it is advisable to be cautious about flying with airlines from economically less developed countries in Africa and South America, as their aircraft tend to be older and poorly maintained.Secondly, follow the instructions of the cabin crew. "Following instructions" is crucial for the successful evacuation of passengers, a conclusion that has been proven at the cost of numerous lives. Cabin crew members undergo rigorous training and are the commanders during evacuation, so it is important to comply with their instructions, which not only benefits individual passengers but also the entire evacuation process.Lastly, stay calm and observe your surroundings. Staying calm is extremely useful in any evacuation situation. Aircraft accidents often allow some time before the final moment. "Stay calm and observe your surroundings" means paying close attention to evacuation exits, imagining possible situations and environments, and coming up with appropriate evacuation strategies.
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