Aviation Automation Failure Event

An Aviation Automation Failure Event is a system failure event that is an aviation safety incident that can result from aviation automation system malfunctions (during aviation automated flight operations).

• AKA: Aircraft Automation Failure, Flight Automation Breakdown, Aviation System Automation Incident.
• Context:
  • It can typically involve Aviation Automation Mode Confusion through aviation autopilot state misunderstanding and aviation system mode awareness loss.
  • It can typically trigger Aviation Manual Override Requirements through aviation pilot intervention needs and aviation emergency control transitions.
  • It can typically cause Aviation Situational Awareness Degradation through aviation cognitive load increase and aviation information processing delays.
  • It can typically result in Aviation Skill Atrophy Effects through aviation manual flying skill deterioration and aviation emergency response degradation.
  • It can typically require Aviation Crew Resource Management through aviation team coordination protocols and aviation communication procedures.
  • ...
  • It can often manifest as Aviation Sensor Failures through aviation pitot tube malfunctions and aviation instrument reading errors.
  • It can often involve Aviation Software Anomalies through aviation flight management system bugs and aviation control law conflicts.
  • It can often create Aviation Cascading Failures through aviation system interdependency and aviation failure propagation.
  • It can often demand Aviation Emergency Training Application through aviation unusual attitude recovery and aviation system reset procedures.
  • ...
  • It can range from being a Minor Aviation Automation Failure Event to being a Catastrophic Aviation Automation Failure Event, depending on its aviation safety impact severity.
  • It can range from being a Recoverable Aviation Automation Failure Event to being an Unrecoverable Aviation Automation Failure Event, depending on its aviation system restoration possibility.
  • It can range from being a Single-System Aviation Automation Failure Event to being a Multi-System Aviation Automation Failure Event, depending on its aviation component failure scope.
  • It can range from being a Predictable Aviation Automation Failure Event to being an Unexpected Aviation Automation Failure Event, depending on its aviation failure mode anticipation.
  • ...
  • It can be documented in Aviation Safety Databases for aviation incident analysis.
  • It can be investigated by Aviation Safety Boards for aviation cause determination.
  • It can be simulated in Aviation Training Simulators for aviation pilot preparation.
  • It can be analyzed through Aviation Human Factors Studys for aviation system design improvement.
  • It can be prevented through Aviation Redundancy Systems for aviation failure mitigation.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Commercial Aviation Automation Failure Events, such as:
    • Air France Flight 447 Tragedy (2009), demonstrating aviation pitot tube icing leading to aviation autopilot disconnection.
    • Qantas Flight 72 Incident (2008), involving aviation flight control computer malfunction.
    • Boeing 737 MAX MCAS Failures (2018-2019), showing aviation automated system design flaw.
  • Military Aviation Automation Failure Events, such as:
    • F-22 Raptor Software Glitch (2007), causing aviation navigation system failure.
    • Patriot Missile System Failure (1991), demonstrating aviation timing overflow error.
  • General Aviation Automation Failure Events, such as:
    • Garmin G1000 System Freeze Events for aviation glass cockpit failure.
    • Autopilot Trim Runaway Incidents for aviation control surface malfunction.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Aviation Human Error Events, which lack aviation automation system involvement.
  • Aviation Mechanical Failure Events, which lack aviation software component failure.
  • Aviation Weather-Related Incidents, which lack aviation system malfunction causation.
• See: Aviation Safety System, Automation Dependency, Human-Machine Interface Failure, Pilot Skill Atrophy, Aviation Accident Investigation, Flight Control System, Cockpit Automation.

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