Application of the epidemiological model in studying human error in aviation

An epidemiological model is described in conjunction with the analytical process through which aviation occurrence reports are composed into the events and factors pertinent to it. The model represents a process in which disease, emanating from environmental conditions, manifests itself in symptoms that may lead to fatal illness, recoverable illness, or no illness depending on individual circumstances of patient vulnerability, preventive actions, and intervention. In the aviation system the analogy of the disease process is the predilection for error of human participants. This arises from factors in the operating or physical environment and results in errors of commission or omission that, again depending on the individual circumstances, may lead to accidents, system perturbations, or harmless corrections. A discussion of the previous investigations, each of which manifests the application of the epidemiological method, exemplifies its use and effectiveness.