This example was contributed by Capt. Robert Sumwalt, U.S. Airways (retired), Member and former Vice Chair of the NTSB. It is based on an actual operation from a corporate flight department.

1. Safety Risk
Management (SRM)
Example
Presented to:
Presented by: Don Arendt, Ph.D. FAA Flight
Standards Service
Date: Oct 6, 2009
Federal Aviation
Administration

2. SRM: A Practical Example
Adapted from a presentation delivered by
Capt. Robert Sumwalt, U.S. Airways,
Retired, Member, NTSB to whom we
extend our thanks.
Safety Risk Management Example
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3. Risk Management
“We manage risk whenever we modify the way we
do something to make our chances of success as
great as possible, while making our chances of
failure, injury or loss as small as possible.”
– FAA System Safety Handbook
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4. SMS Concepts: Risk Management
• Understanding the
system and environment
• Identifying hazardous
conditions
• Assessing risk
• Applying risk controls
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5. SRM
Start
System
Analysis
(Design)
Hazard
Ident
Risk
Analysis
Risk
Assmt
Risk
Control
Safety Risk Management Example
2.1 Hazard
Identification
& Analysis
Design and Context
Specific Information:
Gather Facts
2.2 Risk
Assessment
& Control
Analysis:
Making sense of the data
Assessment: Decision making
Outputs: To Safety Assurance
Action Problem Resolution
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6. System Analysis: Operational Process
Operations To: Hilton
Head, SC (HXD)
• 14 CFR Part 91
Business/Executive
Transport
• Medium Turbine A/C
• Professional Crews
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7. Facilities
Tower Open: 7:00 AM
– 9:00 PM Local
Safety Risk Management Example
Runway 3/21: 4300’ - PCL
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8. Physical Environment
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC
HILTON HEAD
•
NOTE: Rwy 3, numerous trees 328' from departure end of
•
runway, 428' left of departure end of runway, 86' AGL/
•
106' MSL. Numerous trees 319' from departure end of
•
runway, 390' right of departure end of runway, 83' AGL/
•
97' MSL. Rwy 21, numerous trees 39' from departure
•
end of runway, 357' right of departure end of runway, 94'
•
AGL/111' MSL. Numerous trees 368' from departure
•
end of runway, 332' left of departure end of runway, 73'
•
AGL/87' MSL. Numerous trees 1421' from departure
•
end of runway, 221' right of departure end of runway, 74'
•
AGL/91' MSL. Numerous trees 1207' from departure
•
end of runway, 329' left of departure end of runway, 85‘/99’ MSL
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9. Approaches Available
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10. Hazard Identification
HAZARDS
- No precision approach
- No operational tower at night
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11. Safety Risk Management Example
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12. Assess Risk
PROBABILITY
S
E
V
E
R
I
T
Y
Unlikely
Seldom
Occasional
Likely
Catastrophic
2
3
4
4
Critical
1
2
3
4
Marginal
1
1
2
3
Negligible
1
1
2
2
Hazard
Risk Assessment Code
No precision approach
3 (Seldom, Catastrophic)
No operational tower
3 (Seldom, Catastrophic)
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13. Risk Assessment: Conclusion
High, unacceptable risk of
approach/landing accidents at
night or in low IMC conditions
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14. Make Risk Decisions
& Develop Controls
• Develop risk control options,
then decide if benefits
outweigh risk.
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15. Alternatives
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16. Make Risk Decisions
& Develop Controls
HAZARDS
- No precision approach
- No operational tower
CONTROLS
We will not use this airport:

between sunset and sunrise when
control tower is closed, and

when the weather is forecast below
800/2.
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17. Determining Residual Risk
PROBABILITY
Unlikely
S
E
V
E
R
I
T
Y
Seldom
Occasional
Likely
Catastrophic
2
3
4
4
Critical
1
2
3
4
Marginal
1
1
2
3
Negligible
1
1
2
2
Hazard
Risk Assessment Code
No precision approach
1 (Unlikely, Negligible)
No operational tower
1 (Unlikely, Negligible)
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18. “Carelessness and overconfidence are more
dangerous than deliberately accepted risk”
Wilbur Wright, 1901
Contact:
Don Arendt, Ph.D.
(703) 661-0516 (LL)
(703) 338-7746 (Cell)
don.arendt@faa.gov
Wilbur Wright gliding, 1901
Photographs: Library of Congress
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