Analyzing Vehicle Operator Deviations
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-08/17

Title and Subtitle: Analyzing Vehicle Operator Deviations

Report Date: July 2008

Authors: Scarborough A, Bailey L, Pounds J

Abstract: Runway incursions (RIs) are one of the top safety issues for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Considerable effort has gone into understanding how pilot deviations and air traffic control (ATC) operational errors contribute to RIs.

In contrast, little is known about human factors issues related to vehicle operator deviations (VODs). VODs occur when a vehicle enters the airport movement area without ATC approval. We developed a VOD prediction model to help understand the human factors causes associated with different types of VODs. We then examined the validity of the model, using logistic regression and directed graphical modeling.

Although the results of our analyses provided partial support for our prediction model, much of the data that we needed was missing due to incomplete reporting of the human factors associated with a given VOD. To aid in the development of a more comprehensive VOD reporting process, we adapted a human factors taxonomy used in air traffic control (JANUS-ATC) to ground operations (JANUS-GRO). JANUS-GRO was then used to demonstrate how VOD reporting could be improved.

Key Words: Airport Ground Operations, Vehicle Operator Deviations, Human Factors Reporting, JANUS-GRO, Runway Incursions

No. of Pages: 40