Poor Person-Job Fit behind Asiana Crash at San Francisco?

Few days back a satire caught my eye on social media. Although I do not remember it word by word, I am trying to present my version of it-

An aspiring PM candidate went to a bank without his ID card and wanted to open an account. The bank employee asked for the identify proof of the applicant. He told the bank employee that he had forgotten the same. But he said that he doesn't need an ID card since everyone knows him and she could ask anyone about him. But the bank employee insisted that this was not enough.

She told him that at least he will have to do something unique that proves that he is a PM candidate. The PM candidate seemed slightly puzzled at this proposition.

The bank employee quickly added some examples – ‘Sir, previously Sachin had come to our branch and he had also forgotten his ID card. But he played such a stroke with his bat that the ball went out of the roof. We understood he was Sachin. Then the famous singer-composer Malik had come with similar request. He sang such a song that he silenced all our customers. We understood. Can you do something like that to prove that you are a PM candidate?”

The PM candidate appearing even more puzzled told the bank employee –“Well, I am not good at anything. I really cannot decide what to say. In fact this happens to me most of the times and hence I stay silent. I cannot thing of a single talent that I have been endowed with. Worse, I can’t even understand why all this necessary for me to open an account in your bank. “

The bank employee quickly accepted the application form. “Sir, this would be enough to verify your identity. Your account has been opened. You will receive a welcome kit in next three days. Have a good day, Sir.”


Talk of person-Job fit, it has been never inconsequential. Only debate has been how do determine the same. What mechanisms do you put in place to establish the person-job fit? 

Talking about the significance of person-Job fit, ‘…according to Dr. Pierre Mornell, if you make a mistake in hiring, and recognize and rectify the mistake within six months, the cost of replacing that employee is two and one-half times the person’s annual salary. Put another way, the wrong person earning $50,000 will cost your company $125,000. The wrong executive making $100,000 will cost a quarter of a million dollars if you rectify the mistake within six months!’

The Asiana Airlines jet that crashed very recently while landing at San Francisco International Airport, killing two Chinese teenagers and injuring 182 others, all initial reports seemed to be indicating at Pilot’s error behind the crash. According to the investigators, the plane was said to be descending at a dangerously slow speed and pilots apparently ran out of time to correct their approach.

The questions that have been raised are:

1. Why did the pilots let the plane’s speed to drop so low?
2. Why the decision - not to land but to ‘go around’, was taken so late?

(CRASH VIDEO)
Closer media introspection also reveals that the landing of the plane (Boeing 777) had been given to the co-pilot who had only 43 hours of flying experience with regards to Boeing 777. In fact, safety experts have also pointed-out that a big chunk of the co-pilot's 43 hours were logged in a 777 simulator rather than during actual flights. Although the co-pilot had just under 10,000 hours of flying time, he was not experienced in flying Boeing 777 jets. He was said to be ‘in-training’.

Then –

1. Why was co-pilot who had hardly any experience flying the Boeing 777 aircraft given the charge of landing the plane?
2. Why did Asiana Airlines overlook co-pilot inexperience in flying Boeing 777 aircraft?
3. Was the Commander-pilot aware of co-pilot’s inexperience with Boeing 777 type of aircraft?
4. If yes, then why did he give the charge of landing to the co-pilot?
5. If No, then why did the airlines not inform the commander-pilot about co-pilot inexperience with such aircraft?
6. Why did not the Commander pilot take-over at the right time?
7. Why did the pilots failed to take decisive action until the Boeing 777 was less than two seconds from impact?

Such questions would have to be answered by Asiana Airlines.

Furthermore,

1. Were wrong persons in-charge of a job that they just could not handle?
2. Did Asiana, which is in the midst of restructuring and trying to cash-on the Chinese travelers to transport them to America and via Korea, compromise on safety by cutting corners?
3. Was person-job fit ignored for better economics?
4. How will these impact the passengers, especially Chinese travelers (external engagement)?
5. How will this affect the pilots who may be forced to fly aircraft that they have no or less experience (internal engagement)?