Investigation of the effect of human factors on aircraft accidents in aviation: A case analysis of Tenerife aircraft accident

Human nature has certain limits. These restrictions, which determine the performance and limits, also make people vulnerable to make mistakes. According to the results of many academic studies from the past to the present, aircraft accidents are caused by human errors. Minimizing human errors and giving people the awareness that they can control these limits are especially important for the aviation industry. Because people are indispensable for the aviation industry, where safety and security are at the forefront. Human Factors in Aviation issue has become a common denominator of the aviation industry. For the aviation industry, which has people at its center, the mistakes made by people have also gained an unavoidable dimension. Mistakes brought by the human factor, which has an extremely active role in the aviation industry, have caused many aircraft accidents. In this study, a research was conducted on the human factor in aviation in order to determine the causes of plane crashes. After the first chapter, which explains the development and importance of the human factor in aviation, the basic concepts of human factors are explained in detail. The twelve factors that make people prone to error and reduce performance are: lack of communication, complacency, lack of knowledge, distraction, lack of teamwork, fatigue, lack of resources, pressure, lack of assertiveness, stress, lack of awareness, norms. Within the framework of these factors, Tenerife Aircraft Crash analysis was conducted on the Swiss Cheese Model. Qualitative research design was preferred in the process of collecting and analyzing data for the research. Interviews and analysis of written documents were used for data collection. The study was completed by including comments based on the analysis results.