Written by Source: NASA.org
An easily readable source of quality information on the effects of stress and its impact on attention, decision making and teamwork, NASA’s technical memorandum Effects of Acute Stress on Aircrew Performance examines how situational stress influences pilot cognition and skilled performance in demanding flight conditions.
Drawing on decades of research and analysis of 12 major airline accidents, the report shows that acute stress, arising from high workload, time pressure, ambiguity, and threat, can disrupt attention, working memory, decision processes, team communication, and coordination.
It highlights specific ways stress may impair even highly experienced crews and outlines practical measures to reduce vulnerability, improve training, procedures, and cockpit systems, and strengthen resilience in non-normal situations.
Under stress, attention narrows, working memory degrades, and decision-making becomes more rigid. Crews may fixate on familiar actions, overlook cues, delay decisions, or revert to well-practised but inappropriate responses. Communication and coordination also suffer, particularly when time pressure, uncertainty, and perceived threat combine. Importantly, the report demonstrates that experience alone does not protect against these effects; in some cases, deeply ingrained habits can amplify stress-related performance breakdowns.