Contemporary Approaches to Identifying Organizational Factors in Aviation Safety

Authors : Sevdiye Kemik, Didem Rodoplu

Pages : 120-135

Doi:10.55775/ijemi.1765525

View : 43 | Download : 194

Publication Date : 2026-01-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Flight safety is considered a fundamental priority in ensuring the protection of life and property in the aviation industry. Recent studies have shown that the majority of aviation accidents stem not only from individual errors but also from systemic deficiencies at the organizational level. This situation necessitates the continuous analysis of not only operational but also institutional structures within safety management systems. The aim of this study is to systematically identify organizational factors involved in aviation accidents and to evaluate them within a conceptual framework grounded in safety management. The study focuses on the impact of organizational-level elements such as communication, decision-making, training, managerial responsibility, and resource management on flight safety. The Swiss Cheese Model, along with ICAO’s Annex 13 and Annex 19 documents, serve as foundational sources for understanding the multi-layered structure of organizational factors. Within this framework, three example cases have been examined. The 2009 Air France 447 accident revealed the critical role of communication deficiencies and insufficient training among the flight crew as key organizational contributors. In the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 accident, hierarchical pressure, political interference, and distortions in authority-based decision-making processes were prominent. From the Turkish context, the 2007 Atlasjet Isparta accident highlighted internal training deficiencies, lack of oversight in contracted maintenance processes, and weaknesses in the quality management system. These cases were selected to exemplify the study’s conceptual framework due to their well-documented organizational dimensions, extensive literature coverage, and public availability of investigation reports. This paper, which does not include empirical data, aims to provide a theoretical foundation for future research and contribute to the development of safety-oriented institutional strategies. Ultimately, it emphasizes the need for aviation safety systems to be restructured with transparency, accountability, and a learning-oriented organizational approach.
Keywords : Havacılık emniyeti, örgütsel faktörler, kaza incelemesi, emniyet yönetimi, vaka analizi.

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