Abstract:
This exploratory study looks at communication perspectives and applies them to
the transcript of USAir Flight 427, a flight that crashed while attempting to land.
Researchers calculate that 60% to 80% of the accidents can he traced to pilot error.
Many of these errors occur through a single communication event or series of
communication events. Human factor engineers developed crew resource management
(CRM) to address communication, decision-making, and teamwork to proactive address
these challenges. Often, human factors engineering studies recommend "better" or
"clearer" communication to address the issue of pilot error. B. A. Fisher's perspectives
(mechanistic, psychological, symbolic interactionist, and pragmatic) provide researchers
a way to talk about communication by explaining the strengths and weaknesses
associated with various approaches to communication phenomena. The application of
Coordinated Management of Meaning and Conversation Analysis offers some insight and
support to CRM that need further research. More research needs to he conducted solely
focusing on communication's role in aviation.
