Aircraft Safety: Accident Investigations, Analyses, & Applications, Second Edition [Paperback]

The book is designed in broad categories of accident types (for example, 'Weather' and 'Mid-Air Collisions'), which are further broken down by specific hazard type ('Thunderstorms' and 'Turbulence', for instance) and illustrated with case studies largely taken from NTSB reports. Most of the case studies are excellent, and her analysis is generally quite good, although her specific systems knowledge is occasionally not up to speed (for instance, in the L-1011 autoflight discussion of EAL 401, and in the hydraulic system discussion in the 737 rudder hardover accidents). The minor systems errors and misconceptions found in these sections would be virtually undetectable to someone who had not flown the specific aircraft in question, and at any rate are mere annoyances at worst. The overall level of analysis is good enough that trivial details don't take away from the greater points she makes.

Overall, the book is a quite comprehensive text and should be read by pilots and aviation personnel of all experience levels. Her discussions of weather accidents and runway incursions were superlative. Particularly well covered were icing and microburst accidents, though I think she went a little far in her discussion of 'giant anteater clouds'.

Distractions for me were what I thought were a relatively large number of typographical errors, including the very annoying, often repeated (likely spell check induced) "HIS" instead of "HSI". The systems quibbles were minor as well, but nonetheless a distraction in some instances. The effort to make the book 'current' by including the Air France Concorde accident was a mistake. The summary presented was evidently taken from a sole internet source and completely devoid of useful information.

On balance, I think this is an excellent effort, and should be read by all pilots, the earlier in their career, the better.

Krause concentrates on four probable accident cause areas (human factors, weather, mid-air collisions, mechanical failure) and highlights the perspectives of pilots, crewmembers, air traffic controllers, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Many of Krause's conclusions center on two areas, pilot error and failure to properly use the technology. Many of these pilots are not some newbie's who read a for dummies book, or are recently certified via some technology boot camp. They are professionals that have spent thousands and tens of thousands of hours in the cockpit. These commercial pilots have physicals every six months, and spend significant amounts of time annual being retrained and tested.

These commercial pilots work in cockpits whose avionic hardware costs millions of dollars. Yet with all of this, these same pilots often don't think and attempt to land during an active thunderstorm, fly their airplane into mountains (officially known as CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain), and more.

The book is fascinating and a valuable read.