Analysing the data from the flight data recorder (FDR) and similar equipment used to determine the causes of aircraft accidents and incidents, on sample case studies and development of a novel method for this purpose

Various methods which have been employed to investigate aircraft accidents since the dawn of the aviation in the 19th century are found in the literature. In the course of this study, firstly, a summary of the statistics which covers aircraft accidents and incidents which have occurred between the years 1959-2016 is presented. Secondly, the theory of human factors in finding the causes of accidents which is developed in this discipline is examined in detail. Thirdly, some insight is given into FDR (flight data recorder) and CVR (cockpit voice recorder) analyses to investigate aircraft accidents. Within this context, working principle of the FDR Systems is explained. The effects of the usage of FDR and CVR in the investigation of an aircraft accident, is scrutinised as a sample application of this principle. For the purpose of comparison, another accident of an aircraft which didn't have FDR and CVR is also studied. It is emphasized that the definitive causal factors of last accident could not been determined, for this reason. Continuing upon the discussion of the usage of FDR and CVR, analyses of five air accidents which led to the loss of flight control due to the blocking of the pitot tubes and static ports, is also presented. Fourthly, a novel method related to transmitting the data collected by the on-board FDR and VDR (Voice Data Recorder) via radio frequency (RF) data link to the module on the ground station, while the aircraft is in flight, is studied. Having been developed as a new technique to analyse aircraft accidents and incidents, using of this novel method to determine the causes of air accidents and incidents is being proposed, as the main purpose of this study. Fifthly, FDA (Flight Data Analysis) which is a programme to collect flight parameters and data and to analyse them subsequent to the flight is studied. The most important consequence obtained in this study, therefore, is to emphasize the necessity to extract a learning process from each accident and to implement the recommendations to be developed, afterwards.