Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), recently said that there had been an increase in “close calls” at airports across the country. While these events are relatively rare, the uptick in these incidents is indicative of the strain that the aviation system is currently under. Hommendy pointed out training failures and technological issues as among the biggest culprits for these nearly disastrous occurrences.

What Are These Close Calls?

In the context of the aviation system, “close calls” refer to any situation where a plane or other aircraft nearly collides with another due to some kind of failure in the system. Officially, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said there were 23 serious close calls in the past year, up from 16 the previous year. However, it is suspected this number may be significantly underreported, and the actual tally of close call incidents may be much higher.

Why Are These Close Calls Happening?

As a general rule, close calls happen for one of two reasons. The first reason is error on the part of air traffic controllers, who are responsible for coordinating planes as they come in and leave the airport. The second major issue comes from the pilots, who are responsible for following air traffic controllers and their directions to avoid accidents. When either one screws up, the risk of an accident (or a close call) increases dramatically.

What Can Be Done to Address the Problem?

The first and most immediate problem is what Homendy referred to as a lack of meaningful training from the FAA and airlines, who have increasingly come to rely on computer instruction over human instruction, which in many cases is not adequate. In addition, there are technological improvements that could be made that could decrease the risk of an aviation accident or close call.

What Should You Do if You Get Into an Aviation Accident?

If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident due to the error of a pilot or air traffic controller, you should speak to a lawyer with experience handling aviation accident claims. They can help you to explore your potential legal options and determine what may be the best course of action for you. The sooner you call, the sooner they can get to work on your case.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at the Keith Williams Law Group. With convenient offices located in Nashville and Lebanon, our lawyers will work with you to create a litigation strategy that protects your legal rights and serves your personal needs. For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at 615-444-2900 or visit our contact page.