While working as a teaching assistant for a course on forensic investigation of transit and infrastructure accidents, I developed and presented a case study on the 2009 Air France 447 crash.

Although the immediate technical cause of the crash was frozen pitot tubes—resulting in incorrect airspeed readings, autopilot disengagement, and an aerodynamic stall—my case study focused on the human factors at play. Specifically, I analyzed how poor crew resource management (CRM), psychological tunneling, loss of situational awareness, and a lack of coordinated decision-making among the three pilots ultimately contributed to this tragedy.

Click on the PowerPoint to learn more!