The Interfaces Between Flightcrews and Modern Flight Deck Systems

Abstract

On April 26, 1994, an Airbus A300-600 operated by China Airlines crashed at Nagoya, Japan, killing 264 passengers and flightcrew members. Contributing to the accident were conflicting actions taken by the flightcrew and the airplane's autopilot. The crash provided a stark example of how a breakdown in the flightcrew/automation interface can affect flight safety. Although this particular accident involved an A300-600, other accidents, incidents, and safety indicators demonstrate that this problem isnot confined to any one airplane type, airplane manufacturer, operator, or geographical region. This point was tragically demonstrated by the crash of a Boeing 757 operated by American Airlines near Cali, Columbia on December 20,1995, and a November 12,1995 incident (very nearly a fatal accident) in which an American Airlines Douglas MD-80 descended below the minimum descent altitude on approach to Bradley International Airport, CT, clipped the tops of trees, and landed short of the runway. As a result ofthe Nagoya accident, as well as other incidents and accidents that appear to flighlight difficulties in flight crews interacting with flight deck automation, the FAA's\nTransport Airplane Directorate, under the approval ofthe Director, Aircraft Certification\nService, launched astudy to evaluate the flightcrew/flight deck automation interfaces of\ncurrent generation transport category airplanes. This report is the culmination ofthat\nstudy.\n

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