Human Factors and Political Interference
The January 2025 mid-air collision between a United States Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight killed 67 people, with politicians quickly blaming past presidents for air safety issues before investigations began.
Similar premature judgments occurred after the Mangaluru crash (2010), where political leaders blamed the pilot, overlooking failures by aviation authorities.
In both the U.S. and India, politicians often rush to assign blame, undermining objective investigations.
Investigation Transparency and Data Access
In the U.S., radar and air traffic control data were publicly available, enabling clear analysis of the collision.
In contrast, Indian investigations often withhold vital information, such as cockpit voice and flight data recorder details, leading to biased and incomplete reports.
For example, in the 1996 Charkhi Dadri collision, crucial data from the Saudia flight’s flight data recorder was erased, and the investigation was manipulated.
Human Error, Fatigue, and Misidentification
The helicopter pilot likely misidentified a second aircraft as the American Airlines flight, fixating on it due to poor visibility and insufficient cues.
This phenomenon, “press-on-itis,” occurs when pilots become overly focused, disregarding other critical inputs.
Fatigue and stress also played a role, with the air traffic controller at Reagan being understaffed, handling multiple flights alone instead of the usual two controllers.
Press-on-itis is simply the decision to continue to the planned destination or toward the planned goal even when significantly less risky alternatives exist.
Safety Failures and Poor Judgment
In the recent South Korean crash, safety violations like non-frangible structures in the operational area were overlooked during audits.
In Bengaluru (2022), two planes nearly collided due to air traffic control mistakes, but the incident was ignored by authorities.
In Tiruchirappalli (2024), the media and politicians praised an Air India captain’s poor judgment in handling an aircraft emergency, influencing public perception and investigation outcomes.
These incidents reflect a broader trend of compromising safety and withholding information for political or reputational gain.
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