Modern day heroes: a multiple-case study of how successful flight crew and air traffic control coordination helped prevent disaster

Three successful commercial airline in-flight emergencies were explored using a retrospective multiple-case study, through a constructivist worldview, to understand how coordination between and amongst flight crew and Air Traffic Control (ATC) helped save lives. The cases in this study, Qantas 32, Air Transat 236, and US Airways 1549, covered a period from 2000-2012 and were selected to learn what flight crews and ATC did right during in-flight emergencies that led to the successful outcome and no loss of life. The scope of the study was limited to identifying major themes within archival data collected from public final investigation reports, transcribed audio recordings, photos, and news interviews either published or televised, along with autobiographical books published by flight crewmembers. Constant comparison analysis, through a three-phase coding process, was used to identify four major themes that enhance coordination between flight crews and ATC: reluctant hero, trust in others roles, embracing training, and coping with crises. An additional theme of emotional trauma was identified as a byproduct of experiencing the in-flight emergency, no matter the outcome. Based on the findings, recommendations for future research involve expanding on the current study of what went right during in-flight emergencies to develop resiliency for both individuals and organizations.