Doing the right thing can sometimes be a tough decision, but it's something I take to heart. As an aircraft mechanic, I am very tedious with my work. I am methodical and don't take any shortcuts. I know that every time one of my aircraft takes off, I am partly responsible for the lives of the crew members and passengers aboard. Being ethical in aviation is a cog in the machine that allows us to embrace the marvel of flight. There have been far too many incidents that have occurred because of negligence and just plain laziness.
Crash Site of Air Midwest Flight 5481 (Credit: NTSB)
Air Midwest Flight 5481 is an unfortunate example of taking shortcuts. During one of its scheduled maintenance inspections, an inexperienced mechanic caused the crash of Flight 5481, killing 21 aboard the plane. The aircraft took off from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport on January 8th, 2003. Once airborne, the nose of the aircraft uncontrollably kept rising. The elevator control system failed, causing the aircraft to stall and plunged downward, erupting into flames as it hit the ground. It was later discovered during the maintenance inspection that the mechanic had made an unethical decision during operation. "The mechanic stated that, while adjusting the cable tension, he bypassed several steps of the complete elevator control system rigging procedure." He had skipped over nine procedures.
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of ethics in the aviation profession. Everyone from pilot, mechanic, inspector, and production is responsible. To me, ethics are more than just doing the right thing it's what makes us, well us. It keeps us safe and helps promote healthy standards in everything we do.
"The time is always right to do what is right."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Aircraft accident report : Loss of pitch control during take-off, Air Midwest flight 5481, Raytheon (Beechcraft) 1900D, N233YV, Charlotte, North Carolina, January 8, 2003. (2004). National Transportation Safety Board.
