FAA Sport Pilot Airplane (SPA)Human Factors and ADMMedium
During an in-flight emergency, a pilot becomes so focused on trying to restart a failed engine that they fail to notice the airspeed decaying toward a stall. This is an example of which human factors hazard?
- AHyperventilation
- BSomatogravic illusion
- CHazardous attitude of resignation
- DTask saturation
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Task saturation
Task saturation, sometimes called channelized attention, occurs when a pilot focuses so intently on one task that they lose awareness of other critical flight parameters. This tunnel-vision effect can be extremely dangerous during emergencies.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Hyperventilation is a physiological breathing response, not attentional fixation.
- B. Somatogravic illusion involves misperceiving pitch due to acceleration, unrelated to this scenario.
- C. Resignation involves giving up mentally, not an intense focus on a task.
Task Saturation (Channelized Attention)
A condition where a pilot focuses so heavily on one task that other important information or tasks are ignored, degrading overall situational awareness.
- Common during high-workload emergencies
- Can cause failure to monitor airspeed, altitude, or traffic
- Countered by prioritizing tasks and using checklists
Memory trick: 'Tunnel vision' task saturation—seeing only the flashlight beam, not the room