What this profile covers
Unintended maintenance action or omission shaped by task design, data, tools, access, handover, pressure, supervision, and verification.
Why it matters
Ground and maintenance activities involve many organizations, handovers, vehicles, tools, procedures, and latent conditions before flight begins. For maintenance error, useful analysis connects the immediate event with exposure, defenses, recurrence, and the wider operating system rather than treating one observation as a final conclusion.
Ramp movement, servicing, loading, de-icing, maintenance execution, and technical-error control.
Understand the subject before interpreting a signal.
In plain language, this profile examines unintended maintenance action or omission shaped by task design, data, tools, access, handover, pressure, supervision, and verification.
Build a multi-source picture
- Technical logs, work cards, and handover records
- Ramp, vehicle, servicing, and loading records
- CCTV or ground-surveillance evidence where lawful
- Aircraft data, reports, and physical inspection
Timing, relationships, and recurrence
Relevant recorded context may include engine thrust, brake pressure, autopilot status. Use validated mappings and examine signal relationships over the applicable flight phase.
Do not turn an observation into a conclusion
Aircraft-recorded data usually captures only part of a ground or maintenance sequence; organizational interfaces and physical evidence may be more informative.
Keep controlling material visible
Apply the current approved manuals, procedures, authority requirements, investigation evidence, and validated organizational definitions for any operational decision.
Engine thrust
One or more recorded measures of commanded or produced propulsion; the correct signal depends on engine and aircraft type.
Open parameter guide ↗psi, bar, or %Brake pressure
Hydraulic pressure or command associated with wheel braking; it is not a direct measurement of tyre/runway friction.
Open parameter guide ↗discrete / modeAutopilot status
Engagement and mode states for automatic flight-control systems; useful analysis normally needs more than a single on/off bit.
Open parameter guide ↗From a broad topic to a defensible safety review.
Define
State what maintenance error means for the aircraft, operation, authority, and organization in scope.
Verify
Confirm the provenance, quality, timing, units, completeness, and limitations of every data source used.
Describe
Reconstruct what happened and quantify relevant exposure before discussing causes or corrective action.
Corroborate
Compare flight data with reports, operational context, technical evidence, and authoritative source material.
Test barriers
Identify which preventive, recovery, and consequence-mitigation controls should have worked and how their performance can be measured.
Assure
Assign proportionate action and verify whether the control and safety performance improve without harmful unintended effects.
Questions before conclusions
- Q1
How is maintenance error defined for the aircraft, operation, authority, and organization being reviewed?
- Q2
Which precursors, recorded signals, reports, and external data would confirm the event and describe its context?
- Q3
Which preventive, recovery, and consequence-reduction barriers should work, and where could they weaken?
- Q4
What does recurrence, exposure, severity potential, or change over time show before choosing a safety action?
4 connected event profiles
These are terminology and family connections for exploration—not claims that FDM alone can determine the topic.
Excessive taxi speed
Ground speed remains high for the surface, geometry, visibility, traffic, or operator-defined taxi context.
Open FDM profile ↗FDM-008 · Ground & taxiAsymmetric thrust during taxi
A sustained difference between left and right propulsion parameters appears during taxi movement.
Open FDM profile ↗FDM-118 · Systems & warningsElectrical-system warning or degradation
Generator, bus, battery, voltage, frequency, or warning data indicate loss or degradation of electrical supply.
Open FDM profile ↗FDM-119 · Systems & warningsAnti-ice configuration mismatch
Anti-ice or de-ice system state differs from the validated environmental, phase, or procedure context.
Open FDM profile ↗Go deeper into the closest ASIP research guides.
Runway Excursion
Explore overruns and veer-offs as the combined result of approach energy, runway condition, touchdown, deceleration, and directional control.
Open intelligence brief ↗Aircraft SystemsFire and Smoke
View fire safety as detection, containment, checklist action, diversion, evacuation, and rescue barriers.
Open intelligence brief ↗Safety ManagementSafety Management Systems
Connect policy, risk management, assurance, and promotion so hazards are controlled and performance is reviewed over time.
Open intelligence brief ↗12 useful starting points
Original ASIP summaries lead to publisher pages. ASIP does not copy or host the reports.
SAFO 21004 — SAFO 21004, Air Traffic Control (ATC) Notification and Pilot Awareness When Conducting an Instrument Landing System (ILS) Autoland Procedure
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 20014 — SAFO 20014, Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 Airplanes: Pilot Training and Flight Simulation Training Devices ( FSTD ) Updates
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 18004 — SAFO 18004, Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 18013 — SAFO 18013, Updated Rotorcraft External Load Attaching Means and Quick Release Devices for Human External Cargo ( HEC )
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 17001 — SAFO 17001, Pilot and Flightcrew Awareness of Class B Airspace Boundaries
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 15004 — SAFO 15004, Scenario-Based Go-Around Training
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 11010 — TCAS II Guidance and Training for Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR ) Part 135 and Part 125 Certificate Holders, Part 125 Letter of Deviation Authority ( LODA ) holders (125M), Part 91 Subpart K, (91K) Program Managers, Part 91 Operators and Part 142 Training Centers
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for navigation and surveillance and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 10006 — In-Flight Icing Operations and Training Recommendations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for weather and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09014 — Concepts for Fatigue Countermeasures in Part 121 and 135 Short-Haul Operations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09015 — Training For Maximum Performance Landings on Contaminated Runways
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09017 — Training for Bombardier Learjet 60 (Learjet 60) Pilots on Inadvertent Thrust Reverser Stowageon Takeoff and Landing
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for approach and landing and takeoff. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceSAFO 09018 — Passenger/Crew DC Power Outlet installations
Official U.S. Federal Aviation Administration material indexed for cabin and cargo and human factors. Open the publisher source for the complete document, scope, and current status.
Open official sourceCommon Taxonomy Team
International work on common aviation occurrence categories and definitions for consistent reporting and analysis.
Open referenceSafety Risk Management
European safety-risk process connecting data, safety issues, risk portfolios, priorities, and safety action.
Open referenceAnnual programmes and reports
Annual safety reviews and risk portfolios used to identify key risk areas, safety issues, and emerging issues.
Open referenceEuropean Plan for Aviation Safety 2025
A broad evidence-based portfolio showing the scale and connected nature of current aviation safety issues.
Open referenceOperational issues index
A practical discovery index for operational safety subjects; official authority and manufacturer sources remain controlling where applicable.
Open reference