Falling from Airstairs while Disembarking from a Commuter Plane

Abstract

When performing forensic human factors analyses it is imperative to carefully evaluate plaintiff and defense claims to determine if they are consistent with theoretical research and science. This case study concerns a fall from airstairs by a woman who was disembarking an airplane. At face value, the circumstances seemed valid enough that the airline chose to settle with the plaintiff before any kind of expert evaluation was performed. However, when the plane manufacturer was countersued, it chose to hire a human factors expert. A human factors expert analysis revealed that the plaintiff’s description of the incident was inconsistent with the evidence. Also considered were safety factors of airstair and airplane design. This case highlights the importance of evaluating witness descriptions of an incident as part of a forensic human factors analysis.