Requirements for An Aircraft Mishap Analysis System

As a result of long-standing, systematic mishap investigation and analysis practices, the U.S. Air Force has been able to achieve and maintain a consistently low level of aircraft mishaps. However, up to 90 percent of these mishaps are associated with human factors problems. In recognition of the need for better tools to identify the complex nature of human contributions to mishaps, the Air Force has established an Aircraft Mishap Prevention program to develop the capability to apply information gathering processes, sophisticated analysis techniques, and hypothesis generation support tools to help recognize and correct deficiencies in equipment design, training, and operational practices which contribute to mishaps. This presentation provides information on the scope, content, and approach to providing the expected full capability by 1993. One challenge in the design of the program features was the need to accommodate a range of analysts skilled in mishap investigation practices but naive with respect to human factors considerations in analysis. This will be met by incorporation of supporting skilled staff and special purpose software which will aid these analysts to identify and evaluate human factors considerations in individual mishaps and across all mishaps. This presentation reviews human factors considerations in the software support features which will assist the analysts perform analyses and develop and evaluate countermeasures. Considerations and cautions in developing selected human-computer interaction is reviewed, with attention given to features to be incorporated to lead the analyst and to provide him with questions and considerations which must be resolved before a workable hypothesis can be developed or evaluated.