Pilot error

Pilot error is a time in which a decision, action, or reaction by the pilot was the cause or contributing factor to an accident.

Investigators try avoiding using the term “pilot error” due to the fact that their work is to investigate the air crashes that occur, and not to blame people for causing the accident. Nevertheless, a lot of incidents in the air occur because of pilot error.

Causes of pilot error include fatigue, workload, fear, cognitive overload, poor interpersonal communications, imperfect information processing, and flawed decision making. A pilot can also be distracted, ending up in making wrong decisions and actions.