Risk Management Magazine

Problems don’t just happen. They usually stem from a series of unfavorable decisions. Had we experienced any sort of accident while trying to kick open dog gates, it would have been tough to justify. We set out with great intentions but wandered into undefined territory.

Fatigue can lead to unsafe practices, such as taking shortcuts or skipping steps in procedures, ignoring safety checks or making poor decisions in high-risk environments. When tired, even the most experienced personnel are more likely to cut corners. These shortcuts may save time in the moment, but they can increase the likelihood of injuries or deaths in training and operational missions.

Things were happening fast and I constantly had to remind myself to aviate first, then navigate and, finally, communicate. I had not expected how difficult it would be to maintain altitude, airspeed and heading while simultaneously setting up the avionics for a night approach in instrument conditions. /p>