Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Graduate
group
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Maja Hross, Graduate Student Heran Wang, Graduate Student Jason Son, Graduate Student
Lead Presenter's Name
Maja Hross
Faculty Mentor Name
Joao Souza Dias Garcia
Abstract
Aviation is one of the safest modes of transportation, thanks to the structured application of safety risk management processes. However, different frameworks offer varying approaches to managing risk. This study compares the effectiveness of two such frameworks: the Bowtie method, a linear approach, and the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes – Causal Analysis using Systems Theory (STAMP-CAST), a system-theoretic method, in analyzing the 2006 Comair 5191 accident.
The Bowtie method visually links hazards to consequences, identifying preventive and mitigative controls that either failed or were absent in the sequence leading to the accident. Applied to Comair 5191, the Bowtie analysis reveals how the failure to prevent the aircraft from attempting to take off from the wrong runway resulted in a fatal crash. This method is particularly useful for identifying weaknesses in both preventive and recovery measures, making it easier to propose specific changes to prevent similar accidents in the future.
STAMP-CAST, on the other hand, views safety as an emergent property of the overall system, influenced by its controls, structure, and feedback loops. For Comair 5191, CAST focuses on the broader systemic issues, such as organizational culture, regulatory gaps, and air traffic control management, that contributed to the accident. This approach goes beyond human error, examining how decision-making processes and communication breakdowns within the system created unsafe conditions.
By applying both the Bowtie method and STAMP-CAST to the Comair 5191 accident, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of both direct and systemic causes, offering insights for improving aviation safety. The results demonstrate that while both methods are valuable in assessing safety risks, they address different aspects of system safety, each with its own strengths and limitations. The comparative analysis also highlights the importance of using a multi-faceted approach to risk assessment and underscores the potential for integrating diverse methods to enhance the prevention of aviation accidents.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Comparing Linear and System-Theoretic Risk Models in Aviation: Insights from the Comair 5191 Accident
Aviation is one of the safest modes of transportation, thanks to the structured application of safety risk management processes. However, different frameworks offer varying approaches to managing risk. This study compares the effectiveness of two such frameworks: the Bowtie method, a linear approach, and the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes – Causal Analysis using Systems Theory (STAMP-CAST), a system-theoretic method, in analyzing the 2006 Comair 5191 accident.
The Bowtie method visually links hazards to consequences, identifying preventive and mitigative controls that either failed or were absent in the sequence leading to the accident. Applied to Comair 5191, the Bowtie analysis reveals how the failure to prevent the aircraft from attempting to take off from the wrong runway resulted in a fatal crash. This method is particularly useful for identifying weaknesses in both preventive and recovery measures, making it easier to propose specific changes to prevent similar accidents in the future.
STAMP-CAST, on the other hand, views safety as an emergent property of the overall system, influenced by its controls, structure, and feedback loops. For Comair 5191, CAST focuses on the broader systemic issues, such as organizational culture, regulatory gaps, and air traffic control management, that contributed to the accident. This approach goes beyond human error, examining how decision-making processes and communication breakdowns within the system created unsafe conditions.
By applying both the Bowtie method and STAMP-CAST to the Comair 5191 accident, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of both direct and systemic causes, offering insights for improving aviation safety. The results demonstrate that while both methods are valuable in assessing safety risks, they address different aspects of system safety, each with its own strengths and limitations. The comparative analysis also highlights the importance of using a multi-faceted approach to risk assessment and underscores the potential for integrating diverse methods to enhance the prevention of aviation accidents.