A study on human errors of air traffic controllers based on HFACS-AHP

Safety is the lifeline of civil aviation. With the advancement of technology, human factors have become the primary factor affecting aviation safety. Among these, human errors in air traffic control (ATC) account for a significant proportion of aviation accidents. In order to investigate human errors in ATC, this paper introduces two common human factors conceptual models – the Reason model and the HFACS model, and analyzes the specific application of the HFACS model in aviation. It is found that the HFACS model can effectively establish a classification system for human errors in ATC. Moreover, this paper combines the HFACS model with AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and uses the HFACS model to establish a first and second level indicator system for human errors in ATC. We calculated the weights of each specific factor using the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The results show that the most significant influencing factor in the first level indicators is organizational factors, while the most significant influencing factor in the second level indicators is Air Traffic Resource Management. Among the 13 second level indicators, the smallest weight is the controller’s violation. Based on the calculated weight results, in order to improve the safety level of ATC, the first step should be to improve the level of ATC organizational management. This is also of great significance for improving the safety level of the entire aviation system. The findings of this study suggest that the HFACS model, combined with AHP, can be an effective tool for identifying and analyzing human factors in ATC and ultimately improving the safety of the aviation industry.