The checklist and the crash
A famous test flight ended in disaster, and led to one of the most useful inventions in aviation: the checklist.
In October 1935, the United States Army Air Corps held a competition at Wright Field in Ohio to choose a new long-range bomber. Boeing sent its Model 299, a large and advanced four-engine aircraft. Observers expected it to win.
On the flight, it took off, climbed a short way, stalled and crashed. Two of the crew died, including the pilot, an experienced test pilot.
What went wrong#
The investigation found nothing wrong with the machine. The cause was a simple error: the pilot had not released a lock on the elevator and rudder controls. The plane was more complex than any before it, with more things to remember than a person could reliably keep in mind.
The newspapers called it "too much airplane for one man to fly."
The fix#
A group of test pilots did not give up on the aircraft. They decided that the answer was not more training, but a list. They wrote a short, simple checklist for takeoff, flight, landing and taxiing, with the critical steps in order.
The plane went on to be built in large numbers and flown without that kind of accident. It became the B-17 Flying Fortress.
Why checklists work#
- They protect memory. Even experts forget routine steps when they are busy or stressed.
- They are short. A good list covers only the items that are critical and easy to miss.
- They are used as a habit. Pilots run them every time, not only when they feel unsure.
Using one yourself#
Anything you do repeatedly, where a small slip is costly, can have a checklist: packing for a trip, sending an important email, publishing a post, locking up at night.
Keep it short, put it where you need it and update it when you learn something new. The point is not to doubt your ability. It is to free your mind for what needs judgement.