View source for Chain of events (accident analysis)

{{Short description|Series of contributing factors leading to an undesired outcome}}
{{About|chain of events in accident analysis|other uses|Chain of events}}

In [[accident analysis]], a '''chain of events''' (or '''error chain''') consists of the contributing factors leading to an undesired outcome.<ref name="GFDPrivate">{{cite book |author=Willits, Pat |others=Mike Abbott and Liz Kailey |title=Guided Flight Discovery: Private Pilot |url=http://www.jeppesen.com/wlcs/application/commercewf?origin=itemsummary.jsp&event=link(details)&wlcs_catalog_item_sku=JS314500&wlcs_catalog_category_id=AT1A1A8&wlcs_document_type=details |year=2007 |publisher=[[Jeppesen]] |location=[[Englewood, Colorado|Englewood]] |isbn=978-0-88487-429-4 |oclc=145504766 |pages=10–26 |access-date=2007-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011033547/http://www.jeppesen.com/wlcs/application/commercewf?origin=itemsummary.jsp&event=link(details)&wlcs_catalog_item_sku=JS314500&wlcs_catalog_category_id=AT1A1A8&wlcs_document_type=details |archive-date=2007-10-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlgaHNs3EjoC&pg=PA21&dq=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents#q=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents|title=Improving Safety-related Rules Compliance in the Public Transportation Industry|first=Judith B.|last=Gertler|date=11 March 2018|publisher=Transportation Research Board|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4n4dBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA84&dq=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents#q=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents|title=International Conference on Social, Education and Management Engineering|date=9 July 2014|publisher=DEStech Publications, Inc|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rn9Sbl9jMzIC&pg=PA133&dq=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents#q=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents|title=Accident/Incident Prevention Techniques, Second Edition|first=Charles D.|last=Reese|date=25 October 2011|publisher=CRC Press|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BdtY7uQeu-YC&pg=PA16&dq=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents#q=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents|title=Principles of Risk-Based Decision Making|first=In c ABS|last=Consulting|date=1 February 2002|publisher=Government Institutes|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ceuq9P4hLJMC&pg=RA1-PT590&dq=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents#q=%22chain+of+events%22+accidents|title=Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety|first=Jeanne Mager|last=Stellman|date=11 March 1998|publisher=International Labour Organization|via=Google Books}}</ref>

== Aviation ==

In [[aviation accidents and incidents]], these contributing actions typically stem from [[human factors|human factor-related]] mistakes and [[pilot error]], rather than mechanical failure.<ref name="GFDPrivate"/><ref name="GFDInstrument">{{cite book |author=Willits, Pat |others=Mike Abbott, Liz Kailey, and Jim Mowery |title=Guided Flight Discovery: Instrument/Commercial |url=http://www.jeppesen.com/wlcs/application/commercewf?origin=itemsummary.jsp&event=link(details)&wlcs_catalog_item_sku=JS314520&wlcs_catalog_category_id=AT1A1B9&wlcs_document_type=details |year=2000 |publisher=[[Jeppesen]] |location=[[Englewood, Colorado|Englewood]] |isbn=0-88487-274-2 |oclc=145504766 |pages=1–31 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> A study conducted by [[Boeing]] found that 55% of airline accidents between 1959 and 2005 were caused by such human related factors, while only 17% of accidents were caused by mechanical issues with the aircraft.<ref name="Boeing">{{cite web |url=http://www.boeing.com/news/techissues/pdf/statsum.pdf |title=Statistical Summary of Commercial Jet Airplane Accidents Worldwide Operations |author=Boeing |date=2016 |publisher=Aviation Safety Boeing Commercial Airplanes}}</ref>

The [[Tenerife airport disaster]], the worst accident in aviation history, is a prime example of an accident in which a chain of events and errors can be identified leading up to the crash.<ref name="PBS">{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3315_planecra.html |title=The Deadliest Plane Crash (transcript) |year=2006 |work=NOVA |publisher=PBS }}</ref>  Pilot error, communications problems, fog, and airfield congestion (due to a bomb threat and explosion at another airport) all contributed to this catastrophe.<ref name="PBS"/>

==See also==
*[[Swiss cheese model]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chain Of Events (Aviation)}}
[[Category:Aviation safety]]


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