Scandlearn | Crew Resource Management

Why CRM is important

Understanding the root causes of an aviation incident

Although it might seem like human error is the lone cause of most incidents, it's often the case that such errors are bound to happen when proper CRM training is not applied correctly.

An incident occurs
Thirty minutes after takeoff on a domestic flight, faint smoke was detected in the rear galley. The flight crew declared a PAN-PAN and returned to the departure airport. Passengers were evacuated without injury, though two flight attendants reported smoke inhalation. The source was later traced to a galley circuit overload, but initial confusion and delayed reporting worsened the situation.
Factor 1: Cabin Crew Uncertainty
When the aft flight attendant first noticed the smell, she hesitated to call the cockpit due to a previous reprimand for “non-emergency interruptions.” She tried troubleshooting on her own, then reported the issue after it had worsened. The flight deck was unaware of the severity until passengers began complaining. CRM breakdown between cabin and cockpit delayed escalation and intervention.
Factor 2: Inadequate Ground Coordination
Prior to departure, the ground crew had noted a galley power fluctuation during catering prep but did not escalate the issue, assuming it was minor. The information was relayed informally to a dispatcher, who failed to pass it to maintenance or the flight crew. This omission meant the Captain had no awareness of a recurring issue with the galley circuit.
Factor 3: Communication Gaps with Dispatch
The dispatcher had been juggling multiple delayed flights due to weather and did not relay a last-minute MEL (Minimum Equipment List) update restricting full galley use. The message was never entered into the system and the cockpit crew never knew. This led to all galley appliances being powered on during climb, overloading a known weak circuit.
Factor 4: Cockpit-Cabin Disconnect in Briefing
The pre-flight briefing between flight deck and cabin crew was rushed and superficial. Safety priorities, roles in case of smoke/fire, and reporting thresholds were not discussed. As a result, the cabin crew was unclear on when and how to escalate technical anomalies. Without shared mental models, the teams operated in silos rather than as one coordinated unit.
Root Cause: Fragmented Team Culture and Inconsistent CRM Across Roles
While the flight deck had recent CRM training, the cabin crew’s last session was a year ago, and ground personnel had no formal CRM exposure at all. A culture of siloed communication meant information flowed vertically but not laterally. Without an integrated, organization-wide approach to CRM, critical cues went unnoticed or unshared, culminating in a preventable in-flight emergency.

What is CRM?
General Principles of CRM
Human Factors in Aviation
The SHELL Model
Human Performance and Limitations
Threat and Error Management
Situational Awareness
Stress and Workload Management

Fatigue and Vigilance
Decision-Making
Effective Communication and Coordination
Leadership and Cooperation
Monitoring and Intervention
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
The Operator’s Safety Culture

Why it's important

Human error is the result. Not the start of most incidents.

Human error often results from system, communication, or teamwork failures—our CRM training addresses these root causes to help improve the safety levels of your flight operations.

Human performance and limitations
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Threat and Error Management
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Stress and workload management
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Use of Automation
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Effective Communication and Coordination
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Beyond the Cockpit

Beyond the Cockpit

Understanding the root causes of an aviation incident

An incident occurs

Factor 1: Cabin Crew Uncertainty

Factor 2: Inadequate Ground Coordination

Factor 3: Communication Gaps with Dispatch

Factor 4: Cockpit-Cabin Disconnect in Briefing

Root Cause: Fragmented Team Culture and Inconsistent CRM Across Roles

Available for Flight Crews

Summary of topics for CRM Flight Crew

Human error is the result. Not the start of most incidents.

Human performance and limitations

Threat and Error Management

Stress and workload management

Use of Automation

Effective Communication and Coordination

Everything you need for CRM success