02/01/2016
The following article is from the “Accident Prevention Manual For Glider Pilots” by Tom Knauff and Doris Grove Published in 1992.
As a part of the government’s accident prevention program, there are available a series of helpful handouts. One of these addresses human behavior. It summarizes an international study on accident proneness by Shaw and Sichel; published by Pergamon in 1971. The following is adapted from that study.
Most vehicle and pilot accidents are preventable. Most have one common factor: human failure, rather than a mechanical malfunction. Vehicle People who are involved in accidents generally know what went wrong. Very often, the operator was aware of the possible hazards when they chose the “wrong” course of action. In the interest of expediency, cost saving, self-gratification, or other, often irrelevant factors, an incorrect course of action was chosen.
Emotional makeup plays an important role in accidents. Few operators are mentally ill, but few are perfectly balanced. Shaw and Sichel made up a list of character traits of the bad accident risk. These obviously belong to the definitely abnormal person.
THE BAD ACCIDENT RISK - DEFINITELY ABNORMAL
* The mentally defective or psychotic person.
* The person who is extremely unintelligent, unobservant, and unadaptable.
* The disorganized, disoriented, or badly disturbed person.
* The badly integrated or maladjusted person.
* The person with a distorted appreciation of life and a distorted sense of values.
* The person who is emotionally unstable and extremist.
* The person who lacks control and particularly the person who exhibits uncontrolled aggression.
* The person with pronounced anti-social attitudes or criminal tendencies.
Few pilots belong to the above group, but the next list of traits are frequently found among people considered quite normal, you will probably recognize traits exhibited by people you know, or if you are entirely honest, traits you yourself may have.
TRAITS CONSIDERED NORMAL
* The selfish, self-centered person.
* The id-directed person.
* The highly competitive person.
* The over-confident, self-assertive person.
* The irritable and cantankerous person.
* The person who harbors grudges, grievances, and resentment.
* The blame-avoidant person who is always ready with excuses.
* The intolerant and impatient person.
* The person with marked antagonism to, and resistance against authority.
* The frustrated and discontented person.
* The inadequate person with a driving need to prove their self.
* The extremely anxious, tension-ridden, and panicky person.
* The person who is unduly sensitive to criticism.
* The helpless and inadequate person who is constantly in need of guidance and support.
* The chronically indecisive person.
* The person who has difficulty in concentrating.
* The person who is easily influenced or intimidated.
* The careless and frivolous person.
* The people who are very lacking in personal insight and an appreciation of their own limitations.
* The people who have the sort of personality pattern that predisposes them to drink and drugs.
* The person who already gives evidence of addiction to alcohol or drugs.
Inside this list of traits are certain words revealing many key causes of accidents.
Overconfidence, self-assertive, ready with excuses, intolerant, impatient, resistance to authority, need to prove their self, sensitive to criticism, careless and frivolous, alcohol or drugs, irresponsibility, exhibitionism, lack of self-discipline.
The sport of soaring attracts a certain individual profile. Since the sport is just for fun, and requires a certain amount of discretionary income, it attracts the kind of individual who has climbed the ladder of success and has reached the rung permitting rather large expenditures for a rather frivolous activity. To get there, he or she must have several of the traits just listed. They are their own boss, or answers to few. They give orders more than receiving them.
Successful people are often self-centered to some degree, even id-directed. They are highly competitive, confidant, self-assertive, and perhaps impatient to some degree. Successful people have a natural resistance to authority, have a need to prove themselves, and are perhaps sensitive to criticism.
THE GOOD ACCIDENT RISK
The following traits are found among people who are considered to be good accident risks:
* The well-balanced person.
* The mature person.
* The well-controlled person.
* The person with a healthy and realistic outlook.
* The person with satisfactory interpersonal relations.
* The person with kindly tolerant attitudes towards others.
* The person with a well-developed social and civic conscience.
* The person with an ingrained sense of responsibility.
* The people who are essentially moderate individuals, able to exercise adequate control over their impulses and emotions.
* The contented people who are not outstanding, but who are friendly, cheerful, adaptable and accepting - provided they are reasonably intelligent, realistic, and mature.
* The people who have weaknesses and limitations, but are realistically aware of them and are careful, cautious, and moderate in their behavior according to their limitations.
You don’t have to be a genius to be a safe glider pilot. You only have to be an emotionally stable person who understands you are not in possession of all facts or skills for all situations, and be willing to accept the recommendations of those who specialize in evaluating, assessing and administering safe flying procedures.
Society has a difficult time reaching a consensus on all matters. One can always argue for different ways of doing things. Rules and procedures are designed to serve most of the people most of the time. A mature person will accept this and follow the rules for the benefit of all. The immature, emotionally immoderate person has strong tendencies to satisfy personal needs regardless of the consequences.
We often break the rules for the immediate gratification of some emotional need. We understand a lot of things we often indulge in are not good for us (like smoking, speeding, over eating, etc.). We know this with our intellect, but our lives are too often guided by our emotions.
Existing rules would go a long way to remedy the accident rates but certain personality traits causes irrational behavior, also makes some glider pilots and vehicle drivers prone to disregard the rules that would assure safe operations.
When you behave as a bad accident risk, you are showing your emotional weaknesses to everyone around you.
It is easier to develop good flying skills than making good decisions. Good decisions may mean not flying when you are under some kinds of medication, drinking alcohol or when the weather is bad.
Many vehicle drivers and pilots fail to make proper decisions. This is partly due to a lack of knowledge, but too often the result of human tendency to rationalize things until they appear justifiable. When we really want to do something, (such as driving faster than the speed limit, performing a very low altitude turn during a low altitude landing pattern, we can generally make ourselves believe it is all OK to do it.
When tragic accidents occur, people ask why the police or government doesn’t do something about the risks pilots often take. And, do something to properly educate those who demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge.
THE CHOICE IS YOURS
The most important decision for you to make is to learn and stick with published rules, procedures and recommendations. They are well proven and can take most hazards out of your flying. If you don’t believe that, then you are kidding yourself.
As a pilot, you hold human lives (including yours) in your hands. You have a moral responsibility to operate in the safest way. If you are a bad accident risk, society would be better off if you didn’t fly at all.
PEER PRESSURE
Peer pressure is an extremely powerful influential force. If you observe any unsafe activity by anyone, mention it. If you receive no positive response, form a peer committee to approach that person with your combined concerns about their flying habits.
Safety is the responsibility of all of us.
