Pilot decision-making during a dual engine failure on take-off: Insights from three different decision-making models

Abstract

Commercial airline pilots are required to make efficient, justifiable, and safety-critical decisions when faced with adverse events such as engine failures. Although these are rare events, the consequences are severe, and the pilot response is critical. This paper reviews pilot decision-making when faced with a dual engine failure on take-off using three different decision models; the Recognition Primed Decision Model, Decision Ladders and the Perceptual Cycle Model. In-depth interviews with eight experienced airline pilots were conducted to capture their decision-making processes in response to a dual engine failure on take-off event. The analysis of these interviews using the three different decision models provide recommendations for a proposed decision assistant. The different decision models are discussed in relation to the insight they can bring to developing a future decision assistant tool within the flight deck of commercial aircraft.