ABSTRACT

An American cowboy rodeo saying states, “There’s never been a horse that can’t be rode; there’s never been a rider that can’t be throw’d.” That adage applies equally well to aviation. There has never been a pilot so skilled that he or she cannot have an accident. Clearly, some pilots are exceptionally skilled and cautious. However, given the right set of circumstances, even they can make an error of judgment or find that the demands of the situation exceed their capacity or the capabilities of their aircraft. What sets these particular pilots apart is that these combinations of events and circumstances occur very rarely; their attributes, including attitudes, personality, psychomotor coordination, aeronautical knowledge, skills, experiences, and a host of other individual characteristics, make them less likely to experience hazardous situations and more likely to survive the situations if they occur.