[psunavy03]

Another very common failure mode, and really all you can do is mandate an SOP that the crew member vocalizes which engine they're turning off, and the other crew member verifies that it's the correct engine.

The other answer to "people do stupid things under stress" is the common maxim that every emergency procedure in every aircraft starts the same way. Somewhere in the cockpit is probably a standard-issue mechanical 8-day clock, and the first thing you do in any emergency is stop and wind the clock. Not because it does anything to the aircraft, precisely the opposite. It makes you stop for a second or two for the "oh shit" moment to pass. Then you analyze what's actually going on. The other saying that's always briefed is "no fast hands in the cockpit." You may need to be expeditious, but you still vocalize what you're doing with your crew or wingman and methodically go through the emergency procedure. You get in a lot more trouble flipping switches willy-nilly based on what you think you have than if you just stop, breathe, and look at what the aircraft is telling you. I still can recite the steps from memory:

- Maintain aircraft control

- Analyze the situation

- Apply the appropriate emergency procedure(s)

- Land when conditions permit

[logifail]

> The other answer to "people do stupid things under stress" is the common maxim that every emergency procedure in every aircraft starts the same way

A good friend of mine [UK-based] used to fly fast jets for the RAF a long time ago (we're talking Lightning/Jaguar/Tornado).

He recently commented to me that "there were operational deployments where it went from boring to bedlam in the blink of an eye much of the time"...

Teaching humans how better to manage going from boring to bedlam is the key, I think.

[orange_fritter]

I see a lot of Navy pilots say "fingers and toes" to ground themselves, prevent white-knuckling, and as a "reality check". I started doing it in moments in life where I recognize that I am getting intense or lost in the moment. I've even used the phrase to calm other people down.

Random example:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kim-kc-campbell_a-10-pilot-re...

[refurb]

* Another very common failure mode, and really all you can do is mandate an SOP that the crew member vocalizes which engine they're turning off, and the other crew member verifies that it's the correct engine.*

They did do that on the flight in question.