Show Notes
Episode Link: http://www.humanfactorscast.media Join Nick Roome and Barry Kirby in this live-recorded episode of Human Factors Cast as they delve into five recent high-profile aircraft incidents. They analyze the human factors aspects and discuss the challenges faced by air traffic controllers, pilots, and other aviation professionals. The incidents covered include a tragic mid-air collision involving an army helicopter and an American Airlines flight in Washington, a fatal air ambulance crash in Philadelphia, a commuter plane crash in Alaska, a Delta plane flipping on landing in Toronto, and a recent small plane collision in southern Arizona. This episode provides critical insights into aviation safety, human factors, and the importance of ongoing investigations. Additionally, they respond to statements made by the U.S. government regarding these incidents. News: Washington, D.C. Mid-Air Collision Date: January 29, 2025 Location: Near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, D.C. Summary: An American Airlines CRJ700 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River, killing 67 people. Source: , pbs.org HFES Statement
Philadelphia Medical Jet Crash (Med Jets Flight 056) Date: January 31, 2025 Location: Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Summary: A Learjet 55 used for medical transport crashed near Roosevelt Mall, causing multiple injuries and fatalities on board and on the ground. Source: en.wikipedia.org
Alaska Commuter Plane Crash Date: February 6, 2025 Location: Near Nome, Alaska Summary: A commuter Cessna Caravan crashed en route to Nome, resulting in 10 fatalities. Source: apnews.com
Toronto Delta Air Lines Incident Date: February 17, 2025 Location: Toronto Pearson Airport, Canada Summary: A Delta CRJ-900LR jet flipped during landing in snowy conditions. All 80 passengers and crew survived, but 21 people sustained injuries. Source: apnews.com pbs.org
Southern Arizona Small Plane Collision Date: February 19, 2025 Location: Marana Regional Airport, Arizona Summary: A collision between two small planes resulted in 2 fatalities.
Source: apnews.com
Support us: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorscast Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hfactorspodcast Merchandise Store: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/Store/
Human Factors Cast Socials: Join us on Discord: https://go.humanfactorscast.media/Discord Twitch: https://twitch.tv/HumanFactorsCast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/HumanFactorsCast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanfactorscast Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/HFactorsPodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumanFactorsCast Our official website: www.humanfactorscast.media
Reference: Our tools and software: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/resources/ Our Ethics Policy:https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/ethics-policy/ Logo design by E Graphics LLC: https://egraphicsllc.com/ Music by Kevin McLeod: https://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/
Feedback: Have something you would like to share with us? (Feedback or news): https://go.humanfactorscast.media/feedback
Disclaimer: Human Factors Cast may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through the links here! Mentioned in this episode: 1202 - The Human Factors Podcast Listen here: https://www.1202podcast.com Listen to Human Factors Minute Step into the world of Human Factors and UX with the Human Factors Minute podcast! Each episode is like a mini-crash course in all things related to the field, packed with valuable insights and information in just one minute. From organizations and conferences to theories, models, and tools, we've got you covered. Whether you're a practitioner, student or just a curious mind, this podcast is the perfect way to stay ahead of the curve and impress your colleagues with your knowledge. Tune in on the 10th, 20th, and last day of every month for a new and interesting tidbit related to Human Factors. Join us as we explore the field and discover how fun and engagin
More from Human Factors Cast
Episode Link: http://www.humanfactorscast.media In episode 323 of Human Factors Cast (recorded August 20, 2026), Nick Roome and Barry Kirby discuss a paper on the “social cost” of adding an AI teammate to small teams, comparing three-human teams with teams of two humans plus an AI in a high-stakes decision task. They also share conference updates (ASPIRE paper/panel, IEA 2027 deadlines), and answer a question on the future of human factors in the return of the "It Came From" segment. Support us: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorscast Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hfactorspodcast Merchandise Store: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/Store/
Episode Link: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/322 In this episode of Human Factors Cast (recorded July 23, 2026), Nick Roome and Barry Kirby discuss a new Technical University of Munich paper arguing that major AI safety risks come less from model errors and more from how people and organizations interact with AI, including over-reliance and loss of oversight. News: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43681-026-01132-0
Episode Link: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/321 Nick Roome and Barry Kirby return live for Human Factors Cast Episode 321 after a month off. The main announcement is that Human Factors Cast has transitioned into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation aimed at improving human factors visibility through education, outreach, community, grants, and research on human factors communication, with stated core values including accessibility, scientific integrity, public education, experimentation, community, transparency, sustainability, and passion for human factors.
Episode Link: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/320 Support the show, and the mission of better science communication in Human Factors:Support this Podcast Join us for episode 320 of Human Factors Cast, recorded live May 15, 2026,. Nick Roome and Barry Kirby share updates including a recap Barry’s EHF conference highlights. They discuss Stanford’s 2026 AI Index and an MIT Tech Review report on agentic AI in software engineering, focusing on rapid adoption, the “jagged frontier” where AI excels on benchmarks yet fails basic tasks, and human factors issues like trust calibration, workload, supervision, permissions, and accountability in human-AI teaming. This Week in Aerospace is back to talk about NASA’s Routine Autonomous Multi-Aircraft Operations (RAM AO) work to enable small teams managing large autonomous fleets, including interventions/exception taxonomies, Monte Carlo modeling to justify safe human-to-vehicle ratios, and the need for industry consensus standards to support future FAA regulation. Support us: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/humanfactorscast Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/hfactorspodcast Merchandise Store: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/p/Store/
Episode Link: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/319 This week on the show we discuss Artemis II’s 10-day crewed mission around the Moon as a major milestone and a human factors reality check. From core issues of living and working in Orion’s cramped space—limited privacy, disrupted sleep, fatigue, team dynamics, autonomy, tight workload, and the gap between engineering readiness and human readiness—to post-landing physical effects and recovery logistics. We examine NASA’s communications and public transparency, including live visuals, commentary, and openness about problems. Specific incidents include a clogged/frozen wastewater vent line that was fixed by orienting the capsule toward the Sun, and a crew email issue involving two versions of Outlook. View the full article here: https://www.humanfactorscast.media/blog/artemis-ii-and-human-factors-in-deep-space/