Module 2 — Crew performance · Lesson 4 of 4 · 10 min
Threat and Error Management basics
Threat and Error Management (TEM) is a simple model for understanding how safety margins are eroded — and how good crews protect them.
Three building blocks
| Concept | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Threats | Events or conditions outside the crew's influence that increase complexity | Weather, a late runway change, a technical defect, busy traffic, fatigue |
| Errors | Crew actions or inactions that lead to deviations | Wrong altitude set, missed checklist item, misheard clearance |
| Undesired aircraft states | Aircraft positions, speeds or configurations that reduce safety margins | Unstable approach, wrong taxiway, altitude deviation |
The chain usually runs: threat → error → undesired aircraft state → (if unmanaged) incident or accident.
Managing each link
- Anticipate threats in the briefing: "Today's threats are the gusty crosswind and the short runway. Our plan is…"
- Trap errors with cross-checks, callouts and checklists.
- Recover undesired states early — the go-around is a recovery, not a failure.
Why TEM matters for training
Line observations show that threats and errors are part of every flight. Safe crews are not the ones who never make errors — they are the ones who detect and manage them early. That is exactly what Evidence-Based Training aims to develop.
Knowledge check
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