Errors in Calculation
Simple mistakes in calculating aircraft performance data and in data entry have led to a number of takeoff accidents worldwide, according to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
An ATSB report documented 31 such accidents and incidents between January 1989 and June 2009.
“These types of errors have many different origins: with crew actions involving the wrong figure being used, data entered incorrectly, data not being updated and data being excluded,” said the report, Takeoff Performance Calculation and Entry Errors: A Global Perspective.
“Furthermore, a range of systems and devices have been involved in these errors, including performance documentation, laptop computers, the flight management computer and the aircraft communications addressing and reporting systems. The consequences of these errors also ranged from a noticeable reduction in the aircraft’s performance during the takeoff to the aircraft being destr…
