Effective Pilot / Controller Communications
Page 8

AIRBUS INDUSTRIE                                                                                       Getting to Grips with
    Flight Operations Support                                            Approach-and-Landing Accidents Reduction

Introduction
The omission of an action or an inappropriate action is the most frequent causal factors in approach and landing accidents.
Interruptions (e.g., due to ATC communications) and distractions (e.g., due one cabin attendant entering the cockpit) occur frequently; some cannot be avoided, some can be minimized or eliminated.
The following aspects should be considered to assess company exposure and personal exposure and to develop prevention strategies and lines-of-defense to lessen the effects of interruptions and distractions in the cockpit:
.  
Recognize the potential sources of interruptions and distractions;

.  
Understand their effect on the flow of cockpit duties;

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Reduce interruptions and distractions ( e.g. by adopting the Sterile Cockpit Rule );

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Develop prevention strategies and lines-of-defense to minimize the exposure to interruptions and distractions; and,

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Develop techniques for lessen the effects of interruptions and distractions.

Statistical Data
The following causal factors, frequently observed in approach-and-landing accidents, often are the result of interruptions or distractions in the cockpit.
% of Events 
Omission of action or inappropriate action  72 % 
Inadequate crew coordination, cross-check and back-up  63 % 
Insufficient horizontal or vertical situational awareness  52 % 
Inadequate or insufficient understanding of prevailing conditions  48 % 
Slow or delayed action  45 % 
Incorrect or incomplete pilot / controller communications  33 % 

Table 1
Effects of Distractions and Interruptions
in Approach-and-Landing Accidents

Intra-Cockpit Communications – Managing Interruptions and Distractions in Cockpit
Page 1

AIRBUS INDUSTRIE
    Flight Operations Support

Types of Interruptions and Distractions
Interruptions and distractions in the cockpit may be subtle or be momentary, but they can be disruptive to the flight crew.
Interruptions or distractions can be classified in three main categories, as follows:
.  Communications :
. receiving the final weights while taxiing; or,
. a flight attendant entering the cockpit;

.  Head-down work :
. reading the approach chart; or,
. programming the FMS; and,

.  Responding to an abnormal condition or to an unanticipated situation :
. system malfunction; or,
.  Traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) traffic advisory (TA) or resolution advisory (RA).

Minor disruptions (e.g., a minor equipment malfunction) can turn a routine flight into a challenging event.
Effect of Interruptions or Distractions
The primary effect of interruptions or distractions is to break the flow of ongoing cockpit activities (i.e., actions or communications), this includes :
　
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