From my analysis of the NTSB’s report pertaining to American Airlines Flight 587’s crash, human error played a pivotal role in what happened. As mentioned in the preceding section, the NTSB attributed the crash to the high-level stress placed on the plane’s rudder due to the first officer’s “unnecessary and excessive” rudder inputs, rather than the wake turbulence, led to the crash. Human error, as a causal or contributory factor to airplanes, is one of the themes highlighted and discussed in the textbook. According to Cusick et al. (2017), the personnel operating and supporting the United States Aviation system are vital determinants of air travel safety.
