TonyWilliams

DeadHead

Everything else aside, I don't think unclear NOTAM information is a huge contributing factor. Reviewing NOTAMs at most airports is a very tedious time consuming task at times. There are many times the NOTAM in the paperwork have expired, but still remains in the flight planning for weeks at times. I feel as though this backlog of NOTAMs needs to be addressed, or perhaps even start publishing NOTAMs into time-specific or threat specific categories.

It is the pilot's responsibilities to check NOTAMs, so in the end of the day it falls back to the flight crew. That being said, accidentally going to the wrong plane, and then rushing to switch aircraft for an on time departure, seriously gets the ball rolling. Now, combing the first flight of the day checks, with the logbook checks, and in addition to all that a very lengthy confusing page of NOTAMs, it is easy to see what becomes a secondary concern.

There were many contributing factors to this crash, but perhaps an easier interpretation of more accurate NOTAM information could have helped avoid this scenario.

III Corps

As others have noted, they made a mistake and they and their passengers paid a high price for that error. Most of the time we make mistakes and there is no consequence or little consequence. Then there are times when very professional, highly trained, highly experienced pilots who have successfully completed the tasks thousands of times make mistakes. Or lose perspective. It happens. Google Capt Jacob Veldhuyzen van Zanten.

And what is the difference between pilot error, gross pilot error and human error?