Who/What are we going to blame the next one on?

Has anyone considered filing a safety report..... You know the type where you can't be identified.

YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG YOU SAY SOMETHING. (Especially if it's within your airline). If you can't say something write something. I'm sure each operator has a safety reporting form that's confidential/anonymous box. Use it!

Also report it here... NASA- Aviation Safety Reporting System..... http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/
 
Also.... http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/search/database.html

A lot can be learned from NASA's ASRS database even if your not filing a report. You can read reports! Here is one recent release. You can filter to aircraft types, and many other criteria's also. Identifiable information in the reports are removed. So these reports are anonymous. I filtered "PA-28" and "recent", and this was one report....


Time / Day
Date : 201301
Local Time Of Day : 1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference.Airport : ZZZ.Airport
State Reference : US
Altitude.MSL.Single Value : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions : VMC
Light : Daylight
Aircraft
Reference : X
ATC / Advisory.CTAF : ZZZ
Aircraft Operator : FBO
Make Model Name : PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Crew Size.Number Of Crew : 1
Operating Under FAR Part : Part 91
Flight Plan : IFR
Mission : Training
Nav In Use : GPS
Flight Phase : Final Approach
Airspace.Class E : ZZZ
Component
Aircraft Component : Engine
Aircraft Reference : X
Problem : Failed
Person
Reference : 1
Location Of Person.Aircraft : X
Location In Aircraft : Flight Deck
Reporter Organization : FBO
Function.Flight Crew : Instructor
Function.Flight Crew : Pilot Flying
Qualification.Flight Crew : Flight Instructor
Qualification.Flight Crew : Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Qualification.Flight Crew : Multiengine
Experience.Flight Crew.Total : 2900
Experience.Flight Crew.Last 90 Days : 100
Experience.Flight Crew.Type : 500
ASRS Report Number.Accession Number : 1063986
Human Factors : Workload
Human Factors : Training / Qualification
Human Factors : Situational Awareness
Human Factors : Time Pressure
Events
Anomaly.Aircraft Equipment Problem : Critical
Detector.Person : Flight Crew
When Detected : In-flight
Result.General : Declared Emergency
Result.Flight Crew : Landed in Emergency Condition
Result.Flight Crew : Took Evasive Action
Result.Flight Crew : Inflight Shutdown
Assessments
Contributing Factors / Situations : Aircraft
Contributing Factors / Situations : Human Factors
Primary Problem : Aircraft
Narrative: 1
I am a Flight Instructor and my Instrument Student took off late morning. We were on an instrument flight plan in VMC conditions in a Piper PA-28/G. On our second approach and 45 minutes into the flight we had engine failure. We were on the GPS 30 with my student at the controls and under the "hood." We were 1.5 nm from the airport on; off-center final to Runway 30. The landing checklist had been completed. So the fuel pump, landing light, was ON. Mixture was rich. The wind conditions reported was calm. We were on the CTAF and I declared a mayday and engine failure on this frequency. Immediately recognizing the problem as engine failure I took the controls and instructed my student to switch fuel tanks. At this point we were 400 to 500 feet AGL. I immediately banked the aircraft 90 degrees to my left and aimed for a field. I adjusted the throttle to no avail. I deployed full flaps due to airspeed and the shortness of the field. At this point we were around 88 KTS. I saw a berm in the field and wanted to miss it so we touched down just after. I brought the yolk fully aft and used max braking to avoid the telephone poles and road at the end of the field. The airplane started to skid and came to a halt 60 feet from the pole. We turned everything off before exiting the aircraft.
Synopsis
A PA-28 instructor took control of the aircraft from his hooded instrument student pilot and made a safe off airport landing after declaring an emergency because his engine quit at 800 feet.
 
I had a situation that I was the ACM in a crew environment that from the second I stepped on the airplane I felt like my opinion was not wanted and that I should not speak up and that I was an annoyance. I saw something on the ground (something minor), didn't say anything about it (thinking it wouldn't be an issue). Anyway, the airplane ended up being damaged and the flight cancelled. From that moment on, I swore to myself that no matter what if there was something that I could do to contribute to the flight (no matter how minor it seemed), I would contribute. So far I have spoken up more than once (even in airplanes that I'm not qualified on and have no clue what is going on), and have been thanked every time.

It is not worth your life or bending metal to not speak up to someone. I would usually start with the crew.
 
Screaming_Emu said:
Agree with some of that, but will also throw a few things into the mix. I don't think its really any one thing that is causing some people to make a conscious decision to suck at their job.

1) A combination of wanting to impress people and entitlement. I'm not picking on career changers here. I've flown with many career changers who have been great captains. But I will go out on a limb and say that most captains who I have flown with who aren't very good, have been career changers. To stereotype a bit here, they just want people to see them as an airline pilot, they don't really care to be any good at it. They spend time standing at the flight deck door schmoozing with the passengers while you're stuck doing all the work. Lengthy PA's in their best "airline pilot" voice. They see other regionals and comment on "hah...those _____ guys WISHED they worked here." Even though your regional is just as crappy, if not worse. It's all about how they're perceived. As long as people think they're a good pilot, that's good enough for them. These are the same guys who have very basic piloting skills at best, but throw around "when I go to Delta...." like its a certainty.

2) Complacency/Stagnation. I try to be as professional as possible, but this is the one that is getting to me lately. I've been in the right seat of an RJ for almost 6 years. For the last 3 of those I have been in the same base, flying the same plane, to the same 12-13 places. I know the ATIS frequencies for most airports I go to. I feel like what is supposed to be the best years of my life have been a little bit stolen from me because I haven't seen a raise of more than $2/hr since I moved onto second year pay. I'm supposed to be doing adult things right now. Buying a house, having kids, etc. But because of what has happened to this industry, it's just not in the cards right now. I could leave but 1) there's the supposed light at the end of the tunnel and 2) while I don't make a ton of money, its more than I'd make if I bailed out and started doing something else. Operationally my company is a joke. Going above and beyond to try to get things done on time and with any measure of customer service has exactly the same result as not trying at all, only you're more frustrated and tired. Being motivated to show up to work lately has been a real challenge, but that's where professionalism comes in.

3) Cowboy mentality. The usual, I think I'm a badass because I don't follow the rules. I'm good enough that I don't need them.

I think those are the major 3.
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I know exactly what you're talking about, they're painful. My only suggestion is that not all career changers are the same. Pretty big difference from the retired attorney cum airline pilot vs. confused late '20s dude making a career change (me a few years go).
 
GypsyPilot said:
I know exactly what you're talking about, they're painful. My only suggestion is that not all career changers are the same. Pretty big difference from the retired attorney cum airline pilot vs. confused late '20s dude making a career change (me a few years go).
Click to expand...

:eek2:
 
GypsyPilot said:
I know exactly what you're talking about, they're painful. My only suggestion is that not all career changers are the same. Pretty big difference from the retired attorney cum airline pilot vs. confused late '20s dude making a career change (me a few years go).
Click to expand...
and not all punk kids are the same either....but most of them still do know everything;)
 
ScorpionStinger said:
Has anyone considered filing a safety report..... You know the type where you can't be identified.

YOU SEE SOMETHING WRONG YOU SAY SOMETHING. (Especially if it's within your airline). If you can't say something write something. I'm sure each operator has a safety reporting form that's confidential/anonymous box. Use it!

Also report it here... NASA- Aviation Safety Reporting System..... http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/
Click to expand...

This was my question as well. For those of you that say you've encountered terrible pilots in the cockpit, do you have a way to anonymously report to your company the problems that that pilot is causing?

In my few years as SO and managing my companies HITS/SMS reports, I've found that pilots telling on pilots is looked at as a last resort. I've been guilty of it myself but the last thing one pilot wants to do is file a report that may affect another aviators employment status. At what point does it get bad enough for you make a report concerning a bad/annoying/unsafe pilot?
 
Stomp16 said:
For those of you that say you've encountered terrible pilots in the cockpit, do you have a way to anonymously report to your company the problems that that pilot is causing?
Click to expand...

Those sorts of issues need to be handled through Professional Standards. The union can often arrange additional training for the pilot in a non-punitive environment. If the pilot isn't receptive to the people in Pro Stan, it can be escalated, but that is a last resort.
 
dasleben said:
Proficiency issues need to be handled through Professional Standards. The union can often arrange additional training for the pilot in a non-punitive environment. If the pilot isn't receptive to the people in Pro Stan, it can be escalated, but that is a last resort.
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Since I have 0, 121 time, I don't know exactly how the programs work in those type of operations. How does professional standards find out about a pilot not doing what he/she is supposed to be doing? Is there a way to anonymously let your company know about a problem pilot?
 
Stomp16 said:
Since I have 0, 121 time, I don't know exactly how the programs work in those type of operations. How does professional standards find out about a pilot not doing what he/she is supposed to be doing? Is there a way to anonymously let your company know about a problem pilot?
Click to expand...

I actually edited my post to remove "Proficiency issues" (that's not necessarily handled by them), but Professional Standards is a union committee. Pilots contact the committee about other pilots, and the matter is handled "in house" without company involvement.

Yes, I suppose you could drop an anonymous note in the Chief Pilot's mailbox about another pilot instead of going through the union first. You don't want to be that guy, though. Special place in hell for guys like that.
 
dasleben said:
I actually edited my post to remove "Proficiency issues" (that's not necessarily handled by them), but Professional Standards is a union committee. Pilots contact the committee about other pilots, and the matter is handled "in house" without company involvement.

Yes, I suppose you could drop an anonymous note in the Chief Pilot's mailbox about another pilot instead of going through the union first. You don't want to be that guy, though. Special place in hell for guys like that.
Click to expand...

Ok, thank you for clarifying that. When the pilot contacts Professional Standards to bring up the issue concerning a fellow aviator, can that be done in an anonymous way? If not, do you think an anonymous line of communication would be helpful to bring in reports that pilots are otherwise hesitant to report concerning fellow co-workers? Or, in larger 121 operations, is anonymity not a concern in that and most other situations?
 
Stomp16 said:
Ok, thank you for clarifying that. When the pilot contacts Professional Standards to bring up the issue concerning a fellow aviator, can that be done in an anonymous way? If not, do you think an anonymous line of communication would be helpful to bring in reports that pilots are otherwise hesitant to report concerning fellow co-workers? Or, in larger 121 operations, is anonymity not a concern in that and most other situations?
Click to expand...

Yes, it can be reported anonymously to Pro Stan.
 
ScorpionStinger said:
I brought the yolk fully aft
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fried-egg-with-arrow-to-yolk-md.png
 
Bumblebee said:
and not all punk kids are the same either....but most of them still do know everything;)
Click to expand...

This thread reminds me of the conversation I had with someone the other day. The guy probably has 10 times my experience, but I wouldn't let him solo my 172. Yet "the unsuspecting public" gets to fly with him all the time. If our internal checkairman didn't softball the checkride, I'm sure he wouldn't be flying. Super cool guy outside work though.
 
Stomp16 said:
Since I have 0, 121 time, I don't know exactly how the programs work in those type of operations. How does professional standards find out about a pilot not doing what he/she is supposed to be doing? Is there a way to anonymously let your company know about a problem pilot?
Click to expand...

Usually it's a simple misunderstanding that gets cleared up with a few phone calls. Indeed, most discussions go something like this:

"Hey Capt. Fred, this is Bob, from pro standards. Yeah so first officer Bill said (X) happened on flight (Y) on date (Z), and he was uncomfortable (...)"
"Oh yeah, my bad, I/we screwed up, was a long day, was hungry, etc., let's get together and talk about it."

Mostly.
 
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