Panic in Pilots
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Panic in Pilots
I'm a doctoral student researching panic behaviour in pilots, in particular why panic behaviour is not mentioned in commerical aircraft accident reports.
The following is a quote from NTSB-AAR-79-2, Allegheny Airlines, BAC 1-11, Rochester NY, 9/7/1978:
"...the question arises as to why an experienced captain would make such a grossly improper approach and continue to a landing when a missed approach could have been successfully accomplished even after touchdown."
Such comments are echoed accross a broad range of reports for approach and landing accidents.
Is is possible that behaviour contrary to experience and training in professonal pilots is because of panic? (an impulsive fight or flight reaction). Or does panic only exist in the realm of General Aviation?
Looking forward to your comments,
Trish
The following is a quote from NTSB-AAR-79-2, Allegheny Airlines, BAC 1-11, Rochester NY, 9/7/1978:
"...the question arises as to why an experienced captain would make such a grossly improper approach and continue to a landing when a missed approach could have been successfully accomplished even after touchdown."
Such comments are echoed accross a broad range of reports for approach and landing accidents.
Is is possible that behaviour contrary to experience and training in professonal pilots is because of panic? (an impulsive fight or flight reaction). Or does panic only exist in the realm of General Aviation?
Looking forward to your comments,
Trish
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I am absolutely at a loss in trying to comprehend how you rationalize the NTSB quote you offer and the term "panic". Also how in the world do you make the assumption that panic exists in General Aviation? I have read, even participated in a few, alot of accident reports from many countries and I have never seen the reference "panic" used.
So the captain, despite warning signs to the contrary in the form of anomalously high airspeeds and GPWS alarms, continues with his intended plan of landing the aircraft.
I could understand an accusation of inattention or overconfidence, but panic?! You're joking.
I could understand an accusation of inattention or overconfidence, but panic?! You're joking.
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Trish has a legitimate question I think. I know this is a pilots' board but to state categorically that no pilot ever panicked is nonsense. Has panic ever lead to a crash (GA or ATP) ? I don't know and can't find out because, as Trish says, the word is taboo in accident reports. Even if there is a surviving witness to testify to panic, it will be euphemised for public consumption (cf. tired and emotional).
I know of one fatal crash where panic was almost certainly the cause. I won't name it for obvious reasons, and you won't see that word in the report. And just in case any journos are watching, I am talking about a very, very, very (got it now ?) small number of cases.
I know of one fatal crash where panic was almost certainly the cause. I won't name it for obvious reasons, and you won't see that word in the report. And just in case any journos are watching, I am talking about a very, very, very (got it now ?) small number of cases.
I can't relate to the word panic in this context. Perhaps a more discriptive definition needs to be made in a thesis in order to ascribe its use to a particular accident.
I'll admit that my experience is limited but of all the CVRs of accidents that I have participated in, I would not have ascribed that word to the pilot flying.
At the most, I have only sensed panic in the voice inflections of "extras" in the cockpit not engaged in the decision making process. And even my sense is still "subjective"
I'll admit that my experience is limited but of all the CVRs of accidents that I have participated in, I would not have ascribed that word to the pilot flying.
At the most, I have only sensed panic in the voice inflections of "extras" in the cockpit not engaged in the decision making process. And even my sense is still "subjective"
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While I agree that just because it has not been mentioned as a causal factor in the past does not mean it doesn't exist or has been avoided in the past.
Flying is a highly task orientated vocation. SOPs, AFMs, rules and regs etc all tell us what do, when and how. Airmanship "may" be considered as the human side of our operation - and the study of that into CRM. (Very crude statement, I'll admit).
Lack of situational awareness, assertiveness (single & multi crew environment); the ego factor; complacency and inexperience are just some factors that may cause a pilot to go down the wrong path when all signs indicate otherwise. CFIT accidents are a prime example.
Perhaps investigate "panic" from the point of view of experience . Have a chat at any flying school with some instructors and see how many panic expamples there are with students as opposed to airline pilots with 5000+ hours.
As pilots we are trained not to panic - ever. From my early training days I still believe the same holds true in any and every situation:
1. Fly the aeroplane.
2. Asess the situation.
3. Land as soon as conditions permit.
Just my 2 cents worth.......
Good luck with your study and research.
Flying is a highly task orientated vocation. SOPs, AFMs, rules and regs etc all tell us what do, when and how. Airmanship "may" be considered as the human side of our operation - and the study of that into CRM. (Very crude statement, I'll admit).
Lack of situational awareness, assertiveness (single & multi crew environment); the ego factor; complacency and inexperience are just some factors that may cause a pilot to go down the wrong path when all signs indicate otherwise. CFIT accidents are a prime example.
Perhaps investigate "panic" from the point of view of experience . Have a chat at any flying school with some instructors and see how many panic expamples there are with students as opposed to airline pilots with 5000+ hours.
As pilots we are trained not to panic - ever. From my early training days I still believe the same holds true in any and every situation:
1. Fly the aeroplane.
2. Asess the situation.
3. Land as soon as conditions permit.
Just my 2 cents worth.......
Good luck with your study and research.
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I'm a doctoral student researching panic behaviour in pilots, in particular why panic behaviour is not mentioned in commerical aircraft accident reports.
JRH
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Well, IMHO when one sees someone being loaded up in the simulator and the pressure comes on then 'panic' is not so very far away and many of the symptoms of panic start to show!
It is possible that if a person in an aircraft has too many things going wrong at the same time and a disasterous outcome is inevitable then, I believe panic could easily set in? Possibly more an effect than a cause?
I don't think one can honestly say that panic and flying are mutually exclusive.
It is possible that if a person in an aircraft has too many things going wrong at the same time and a disasterous outcome is inevitable then, I believe panic could easily set in? Possibly more an effect than a cause?
I don't think one can honestly say that panic and flying are mutually exclusive.
No. 15 described many possible cockpit factors very well.
Some author in a recent (US) "Flying" magazine article stated that the last leg of a trip can be a strong motivator not to delay the taxi or takeoff, or seriously consider a divert to an alternate airport, and that the closer you are to home, or your crewbase, the harder it is to avoid beginning, or to break off the approach.
Some author in a recent (US) "Flying" magazine article stated that the last leg of a trip can be a strong motivator not to delay the taxi or takeoff, or seriously consider a divert to an alternate airport, and that the closer you are to home, or your crewbase, the harder it is to avoid beginning, or to break off the approach.
The popular 'model' that pilots are taught is the Yerkes-Dodson relationship between stress and arousal.
See:
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/...y/arousal.html
The approach and landing phase you mention has many other stresses than just effecting a safe touchdown. For example, the pilot may have considerations of fuel, ATC, weather, passenger sickness, flight duty limitations, tiredness/fatigue or variables of these.
In extreme circumstances a pilot may not want to go-round to avoid a more complicated situation.
The trick for the crew is to keep the general arousal level at about the right pitch. Too laid back and you don't process enough information to solve the problem.
Too worked up and you don't process enough information to solve the problem.
E.g. good advice for a technical problem at a busy airport might be to go into the hold and give yourself thinking space to troubleshoot. However, having this option requires the ability to plan ahead . . .
Plenty of scope for a good PHd project. Best of luck!
See:
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/...y/arousal.html
The approach and landing phase you mention has many other stresses than just effecting a safe touchdown. For example, the pilot may have considerations of fuel, ATC, weather, passenger sickness, flight duty limitations, tiredness/fatigue or variables of these.
In extreme circumstances a pilot may not want to go-round to avoid a more complicated situation.
The trick for the crew is to keep the general arousal level at about the right pitch. Too laid back and you don't process enough information to solve the problem.
Too worked up and you don't process enough information to solve the problem.
E.g. good advice for a technical problem at a busy airport might be to go into the hold and give yourself thinking space to troubleshoot. However, having this option requires the ability to plan ahead . . .
Plenty of scope for a good PHd project. Best of luck!
Stay cool and survive
In a flying career spanning 31 years I have been in tricky situations a couple of times. That set against nearly 20000 hours of safe flying.
Many years ago I suffered a total engine failure in a light single at 3500 feet. The engine simply stopped dead and wouldn't restart, thus a routine local flight became an instant emergency. If panic had taken over at that point a safe landing would have been difficult if not impossible due to the terrain and housing around the area. As the training I had received kicked in I took a concious decision to keep calm a "fight" the situation, thus I worked through the forced landing checklist whilst transmitting a distress call and looking for a patch of green to land on.
The outcome was a safe landing -no damage or injuries - later that day I did reflect that it was a close call but took comfort in my performance and the outcome.
Later in my career I had to shutdown one engine on a Kingair over a long sea crossing which triggered a rapid response from ASR services but again worked hard at getting safely to land. A positive decision not to panic was the key.
All pilots are different and I would not exclude panic from the list of possible accident causes but keeping calm and following practiced procedures is one way to keep it at bay.....
Many years ago I suffered a total engine failure in a light single at 3500 feet. The engine simply stopped dead and wouldn't restart, thus a routine local flight became an instant emergency. If panic had taken over at that point a safe landing would have been difficult if not impossible due to the terrain and housing around the area. As the training I had received kicked in I took a concious decision to keep calm a "fight" the situation, thus I worked through the forced landing checklist whilst transmitting a distress call and looking for a patch of green to land on.
The outcome was a safe landing -no damage or injuries - later that day I did reflect that it was a close call but took comfort in my performance and the outcome.
Later in my career I had to shutdown one engine on a Kingair over a long sea crossing which triggered a rapid response from ASR services but again worked hard at getting safely to land. A positive decision not to panic was the key.
All pilots are different and I would not exclude panic from the list of possible accident causes but keeping calm and following practiced procedures is one way to keep it at bay.....
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Panic, or the lack of it, should be directly related to the quality of training and the ongoing training. I would think that we could also relate it to the training that the police, firefighters and military receives.
Psychophysiological entity
Trish. I'm a pilot of aver 40 years experience, and I happen to have a son who is a psychology professor, so I have an idea of the type of research that you need to do. I would however recommend that you avoided the word ‘panic', as your responses are lightly to be ‘who moi' ? Seriously though, pilot psychology is important work, and the term work-load is one that we like to use a lot. In the years I was a co-pilot, I flew with guys that had gone through the war, and the only time that I saw anything like panic was during a base check. The pilot's brain, is the nerve-centre of an aircraft, so, all the best with your studies.
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PANIC is such an emotive word (esp to pilots) I would try to avoid using it!
Unfortunately many people think of 'panic' as hysteria.
Lesser symptoms of panic though are quite common....Im sure everyone here has seen another pilot (and some may admit to it themselves) just sit there stunned....and do nothing! The good news is that it is possible to come back from the brink of panic....often the other pilot starting a checklist is enough.
The 'fight or flight' argument is an interesting one in aviation. The problem arises from the fact that even having dealt with one critical situation pilots just cant sit back and say 'holy s1t, thank goodness thats over'....we still have the rest of the flight (and possibly other dramas) to negotiate. A fight or flight reaction tends to be instantaneous...an ETOPS emergency can take 3+hours.
Different training methods, SOPSs, checklists, memory items, 'immediate actions' (often verbal), and a reliance on facts, numbers and instruments are all tools we use to try and prevent panic.
I can tell you that after the shock of the critical situation...it oftens becomes almost 'routine' as you deal with it.
You mention GA. I have to agree that unlike the military or an airline they do not have complex training systems and testing/checking to reinforce these techniques but they do have a very good one...and one that I have heard from every pilot I have ever known. DO NOTHING! Sit on your hands for a couple of seconds.....put yourself in control and not the emergency.
1. Panic is an emotive and misunderstood word
2. Panic takes a myraid of forms
3. Many pilots dont know that their training systems are in part designed to prevent panic
4. GA do have organic systems in place....its just that often they are not explained to them correctly.
Unfortunately many people think of 'panic' as hysteria.
Lesser symptoms of panic though are quite common....Im sure everyone here has seen another pilot (and some may admit to it themselves) just sit there stunned....and do nothing! The good news is that it is possible to come back from the brink of panic....often the other pilot starting a checklist is enough.
The 'fight or flight' argument is an interesting one in aviation. The problem arises from the fact that even having dealt with one critical situation pilots just cant sit back and say 'holy s1t, thank goodness thats over'....we still have the rest of the flight (and possibly other dramas) to negotiate. A fight or flight reaction tends to be instantaneous...an ETOPS emergency can take 3+hours.
Different training methods, SOPSs, checklists, memory items, 'immediate actions' (often verbal), and a reliance on facts, numbers and instruments are all tools we use to try and prevent panic.
I can tell you that after the shock of the critical situation...it oftens becomes almost 'routine' as you deal with it.
You mention GA. I have to agree that unlike the military or an airline they do not have complex training systems and testing/checking to reinforce these techniques but they do have a very good one...and one that I have heard from every pilot I have ever known. DO NOTHING! Sit on your hands for a couple of seconds.....put yourself in control and not the emergency.
1. Panic is an emotive and misunderstood word
2. Panic takes a myraid of forms
3. Many pilots dont know that their training systems are in part designed to prevent panic
4. GA do have organic systems in place....its just that often they are not explained to them correctly.
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Trish,
Having read the responses to date might I suggest you offer a bit more information.
How would you define "panic?" In quick and dirty lay terms.
What are you using for your definition of "general aviation?" It would appear that depending where in the world your respondents are from it can mean very different things. In Canada as an example GA would refer to the C172's, Cherokee's, Seneca's etc. It would not refer to Challenger's, Hawker's, Citation's, Kingair's etc that is something entirely different.
Just thought that a common understanding of terminology being used might provide you with some of the answers you seek.
Having read the responses to date might I suggest you offer a bit more information.
How would you define "panic?" In quick and dirty lay terms.
What are you using for your definition of "general aviation?" It would appear that depending where in the world your respondents are from it can mean very different things. In Canada as an example GA would refer to the C172's, Cherokee's, Seneca's etc. It would not refer to Challenger's, Hawker's, Citation's, Kingair's etc that is something entirely different.
Just thought that a common understanding of terminology being used might provide you with some of the answers you seek.
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Panic is an interesting and emotive word.
From a military perspective (I'm still fairly junior, mind) I've not seen or experienced what I would define as panic. My definition of panic would be something like "extreme physiological/psychological condition brought on by by perception of imminent pain, injury or death"
I would think it a rare thing that aircrew knew, for a reasonable period before-hand, that they were about to face pain, injury or death. Aircraft accidents (CFIT, collision, SAM) can occur before the crew is aware anything is wrong. In other cases, say an uncontollable engine fire leading to a wing burning off, are rare. In that case, most folks I know would be doing everything they could to keep the jet flying and crashing is the last thing they'd be thinking about. Therefore panic shouldn't enter into it.
On pilots' course we worked to some strict heights and speeds "Engine failure at XXX, I abort, engine failure at XXX I put it back on the deck, engine failure at XXX I eject" We practiced EFATO's so damn much that it bacame a drill. Of course, never did a real EFATO, but I think the training would take over, so to speak.
Aircrew seemed programmed to "do something" in emergencies.
From a military perspective (I'm still fairly junior, mind) I've not seen or experienced what I would define as panic. My definition of panic would be something like "extreme physiological/psychological condition brought on by by perception of imminent pain, injury or death"
I would think it a rare thing that aircrew knew, for a reasonable period before-hand, that they were about to face pain, injury or death. Aircraft accidents (CFIT, collision, SAM) can occur before the crew is aware anything is wrong. In other cases, say an uncontollable engine fire leading to a wing burning off, are rare. In that case, most folks I know would be doing everything they could to keep the jet flying and crashing is the last thing they'd be thinking about. Therefore panic shouldn't enter into it.
On pilots' course we worked to some strict heights and speeds "Engine failure at XXX, I abort, engine failure at XXX I put it back on the deck, engine failure at XXX I eject" We practiced EFATO's so damn much that it bacame a drill. Of course, never did a real EFATO, but I think the training would take over, so to speak.
Aircrew seemed programmed to "do something" in emergencies.
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The word 'panic' in my dictionary = sudden and infectious fear.
The word 'panic' in my thesaurus = alarm, costernation, fear, fright, scare, terror.
As this is a CRM/Human Factors related question... I would like to make reference to a well known publication written by Bob Tait used in Australia from PPL to ATPL level examination.
It states that fear is an emotional consideration. A pilot who never experiences anxiety, depression or fear would likely to have a fairly short career in aviation.
Fear is the result of millions of years of evolution. It is nature's way of alerting us to situations which are threatening.
It becomes destructive when there is no rational reason for such emotions.
Perhaps the word 'panic' instills a meaning to most of being scared witless and out of control, which is not really the case in aviation because we are taught from the beginning how to deal with emergency events that lead to the onset of fear.
Thread Bear
The word 'panic' in my thesaurus = alarm, costernation, fear, fright, scare, terror.
As this is a CRM/Human Factors related question... I would like to make reference to a well known publication written by Bob Tait used in Australia from PPL to ATPL level examination.
It states that fear is an emotional consideration. A pilot who never experiences anxiety, depression or fear would likely to have a fairly short career in aviation.
Fear is the result of millions of years of evolution. It is nature's way of alerting us to situations which are threatening.
It becomes destructive when there is no rational reason for such emotions.
Perhaps the word 'panic' instills a meaning to most of being scared witless and out of control, which is not really the case in aviation because we are taught from the beginning how to deal with emergency events that lead to the onset of fear.
Thread Bear
'Panic' and the P.I.C.
IMHO you'll be hard pressed to find much reference to 'panic' in professional pilots, especially not once they are into the 3000+ hrs level. My experience is that the pro is so focussed on the emergency that there's no time for other reactions.
I would suggest that you look into interviewing pilots who have survived the following:
* totally lost in inland Australia or similar
* VFR and stuck on top,necessitating assistance
* Inadvertant IMC while VFR
It might be that none of these 'panic'd' either, which is why they are still here to tell their story?
cheers
IMHO you'll be hard pressed to find much reference to 'panic' in professional pilots, especially not once they are into the 3000+ hrs level. My experience is that the pro is so focussed on the emergency that there's no time for other reactions.
I would suggest that you look into interviewing pilots who have survived the following:
* totally lost in inland Australia or similar
* VFR and stuck on top,necessitating assistance
* Inadvertant IMC while VFR
It might be that none of these 'panic'd' either, which is why they are still here to tell their story?
cheers
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As a "shrink" told us one time long ago in a human factors course, fear and anxiety are very "natural" emotions that keep us safe. Panic on the other hand is not a "natural" emotion and is often a learned response. He went on to explain the differences using lots of words that helped justify his medical degree. So TB is quite correct in that the former helps to ensure a long career.