Flight Crew Collaboration to Manage Safety Risks

This study suggests that goal interdependence is a useful theoretical framework to understand collaboration as crew members cope with safety hazards. Thirty-five pilots, first officers, second officers, and flight attendants provided critical incidents of safety problems handled effectively and ineffectively. Analyses indicate that cooperative goals and the constructive discussion of opposing views were powerful antecedents to using safe procedures expeditiously. The study introduces the critical incident method to the study of flight crew management. Results identify training to assist crew members to maintain the margin of safety in the skies.