Cognitive factors refer to limitations by human error during critical decision-making. Aviation accidents are caused by pilots’ mistakes, mechanical errors, or inclement weather. In cognitive factors that may cause aviation accidents, pilots’ errors and limitations are mostly looked at. These limitations may be through human perception, attention, memory, and decision-making, which play a role in many aviation accidents. A simple alteration or mistake from a pilot or the co-pilot may cause an airplane crash.
Use of drugs by the pilot during the operation of the airplanes. From the aviation investigation final report, it was clear that the pilot was high on drugs. The autopsy conducted on the body showed a high amount of medications such as fluoxetine, benzoylecgonine, buprenorphine, and other drugs in his system. This is regardless of the pilot saying he was not on any medication. The abuse and usage of drugs before the flight may have caused him to lose control, leading to the accident.
Upon further investigation, it was clear that the pilot had been on drugs and was using them to cope with difficult situations. The pilot may have been under excessive stress, jeopardizing decision-making relevance and cognitive functioning, which is a prominent cause of the pilot error (Dismukes et al., 2018). The report also showed that the patient had records of a history of substance dependence and abuse dating back more than ten years preceding the accident, involving the misuse of at least four different substances. He had also been enrolled in various rehabilitation centers for ten years.
Another cognitive factor that may have caused the crash was poor decision-making. The pilot was not in the correct state of mind to operate an airplane. From the information provided by his spouse, the pilot was being treated for anxiety, addiction, and depression. This, therefore, means that his mind frame was not capable of controlling and piloting the plane. His mental condition and capabilities were limited, and he may have lost attention, leading to the plane crash. He was also experiencing some cognitive impairment due to his use of buprenorphine to treat substance dependence.
Unqualified personnel operating the plane. The information gathered about the pilot shows that he is a student pilot. This means he was not fully qualified to take a flight independently without guidance from an experienced pilot. This may have led to the crash due to the lack of knowledge and experience to handle the situation. The pilot may have panicked and caused the plane to crash due to a lack of experience in navigating at night and avoiding the terrain features in his route.
Due to his bipolar medical condition, and the abuse of his medication, the pilot may not have realized the risk he was taking. Defying the orders of his instructors not to make the journey was another mistake he committed, as he was not experienced and had never made long solo trips. The pilot was using the plane to run his personal errands, which was attending a casino to gamble. His motivation to reach his gambling destination caused him to lose concentration, causing the plane crash.
In conclusion, from the reports and the investigation conducted, it was clear that the plane crash was caused by human error. Considering the pilot’s medical history, he should not have been allowed to take flight. It is also clear that new measures must be implemented to ensure pilots do not lie about their medical and health conditions when practicing. Thorough medical tests also need to be carried out on aircrews to ensure none operate in an intoxicated state.
Reference
Dismukes, R. K., Kochan, J. A., & Goldsmith, T. E. (2018). Flight crew errors in challenging and stressful situations.Aviation Psychology and Applied Human Factors, 8(1), 35–46.