What has cultural beliefs got to do with plane crashes?

On how Power Distance Index affects effective communication and why it is important to give people gbas gbos.

Hey guys! How are you doing? I’m doing quite alright. I started writing this newsletter last week hoping to finish it that day, but some things got in the way. So I am sitting on my bed this rainy morning trying to remember was I was writing about. Let’s see how it goes..

I have something really interesting to share. I was reading my read of the month (more like 4months? lool. It’s a huge book, don’t blame me) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and the backgrounds of pilots were analyzed and their effects on plane crashes.

He explained that most planes crashes do NOT occur as a result of technical issues in the plane. In fact, the pilot would have to make about seven mistakes, which are rarely problems of knowledge or flying skill —compounding upon each other— before it can result in a plane crash. Aviacana Airlines had four accidents in quick succession, and all four cases had nothing to do with the plane. In their words, the airplanes were in perfect flight conditions, aircrew without physical limitations and considered average or above flight ability, and the accidents still happened. What then causes plane crashes/accidents? My exact thought too.

Let’s take a closer look at the Kennedy Aircrash, for example. The captain Caviedes, knew his onions pretty well, the co-pilot Klotz was also experienced, the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) doing their job as they should, and the plane in perfect working condition.

***A planes’ cockpit (or pilots’ deck) consists of a captain —usually better experienced and the ‘boss’ sort of, who is mainly in charge of flying— and the co-pilot, who is also experienced but there to assist the captain.

A plane’s cockpit. image from USA Today

The weather was quite poor that evening with dense fog and high winds. As a result, the plane had to circle over three different places for about 19mins, 29mins, and 29mins respectively, in total which is about an hour and a quarter delay in the air. When the plane finally arrived at its destination, they encountered a strong wind making them apply more force than usual to land. Then all of a sudden, without any warning, the wind dropped dramatically. Since the plane was already travelling too fast, it would no longer be able to make it to the runway at that speed. Normally, the plane would have been on auto-pilot, allowing it to adjust automatically to the change in the wind, but the auto-pilot was turned off because it was not malfunctioning.

***I hope I haven’t lost you at this point😅 Stay with me though, I have something to bring out of the story.

So the pilot had to go back in the air to do a go-around and reapproach Kennedy Airport. Suddenly, one of the engines failed, and then the second too, due to the plane running out of gas (which is quite fair because they had spent wayyy above the estimated time in the air). Unfortunately, the plane was still about 16 miles away from the airport. There was no chance they would make it to the airport. Their best bet was to look for free space to land somewhere right?

So they contacted the ATC —which were their eyes on the ground, literally, about their situation. Now, this was where the problem came from. The co-pilot Klotz, was to contact ATC since the Captain was busy battling with the plane. Klotz told the ATC guys the issue but since there was no trace of urgency in Klotz’s tone, they dismissed it.

***Note that the ATC guys have been reported to be bullies, rude and aggressive to the pilots on several occasions, and if they do not challenge them, they would overpower them. One time when a female controller got mad at the pilot and said “Stop. Don’t do anything. Don’t talk to me till I talk to you”, the pilot had to reply “Madam, Was I married you in a former life?” In other words, If you do not give them gbas gbos, they will ride you.

Klot’z tried to tell the ATC their situation but his cultural beliefs were getting in the way. How do I mean? Klotz comes from a background where hierarchy is respected and authority should not and can not be challenged. So in that scenario, the ‘authorities’ were his Captain; Caviedes, and ATC. After the plane crashed, the black box was retrieved from the plane and the recording was played. It was found out that Klotz barely said any word in the midst of the chaos. Since Caviedes had been in the air previously and with barely enough sleep, he was too tired to think clearly. Klotz could have suggested ways to deal with the problem or even take over the wheel if it got really bad, but he had his cultural beliefs deeply rooted in him which did not allow him ‘challenge authority’. So he was mute. So when Caviedes instructed him to contact the ATC guys about the emergency, he was not having it easy with them. The ATC asked if they had enough fuel to make it to the airport and told them to manage the condition. He replied I guess so, Thank you very much. Again, his cultural beliefs came in the way and he was intimidated so he couldn’t challenge their commands to tell them they had to land immediately. So when Caviedes asked for his response from ATC, he said they were angry. Angry?? they were in the middle of chaos! But Klotz feelings were hurt. So they lost control of the plane and it crashed.

Now I know you may not agree with me on this one but while it is easy to conclude that the plane crashed due to a number of reasons; the terrible weather condition thereby having to stay longer than usual in air, to the plane running out of gas to the sleep-deprived Captain, etc, the main reason it crashed was Klotz’s inability to bypass his cultural beliefs. All those situations could have been managed if only Klotz communicated clearly.

The same incident happened to the Korean Airline. They witnessed so many plane crashes to the extent that the Korean president was compelled to speak up. So many people stopped using the KAL and the presidential plane was switched to a rival (abi who wants to die?). The planes were in good condition and the pilots were experienced but the planes still crashed. A psychologist Greet Hofstede explained Power Distance Index and its effect on people. Another Psychologist Robert Helmreich argued that PDI and culture best explains Klotz’s situation. Power distance is concerned with attitudes towards hierarchy, specifically with how much a particular culture values and respects authority. He explained that co-pilots with high PDI were likely to keep mute when the Captain makes a mistake. And the ones that try to speak up? They only suggest a different option in the most mitigated way possible. They are also less likely to talk back at the Americans at the ATC who have a low PDI (they do not care about hierarchy of any sort). A safe flight is one in which the captain and co-pilot actively work together— dropping their low/high PDI aside— as opposed to the popular opinion of technical issues of the plane being the sole cause of plane crash.

Hig and Low PDI. Image from Euraxess

Today, KAL is one of the best Airlines in the world. The pilots had to undergo English training so they can learn how to communicate their opinions firmly irrespective of their cultural backgrounds. Who would have thought that was the revolution they needed?

Now you’re wondering, I’m not a pilot and I don’t plan on becoming one. What do I need this story for? Nothing, actually😂. I was just intrigued by the philosophy and decided to share. Butttt, I do have something to bring out…

Never underestimate the power of cultural background

No matter how ‘modern’ things have become, we all still have a tad bit of our cultural background embedded in us. That explains why an African mother will still behave like an African mother no matter how long she has lived in Canada. Or how Ondo people will forever love Pounded Yam even if they have lived most of their lives in London. Or how Nigerians will always be quick to show their agbero personality even outside the country if anybody tries nonsense with them😂.

Always give people gbas gbos so see finish won’t enter

I hope you can figure that I am only kidding with this one. So if you give people gbas gbos, you do it at your own peril😅.

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Gracias y adiós,

Yosola.

P.S. S/O to Tola who suggested I infuse highlights of my monthly reads in the newsletter since keeping up with my reading goals has been quite difficult. So, I would add highlights? summary? of my read, and I hope to be consistent with it. So help me God.

P.P.S. gracias y adiós means thank you and goodbye in Spanish. I mean, how else would you be able to tell I’m learning Spanish if I don’t add it to my writing.