**Abstract**

Flight is one of the safest modes of travel even today. However, nearly 75 percent of civil and military aviation accidents around the globe have been attributed to human errors at various levels such as design, drawing, manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, and flight operations. This paper traces the civil aviation accidents that have occurred during the last eight decades and brings out the vital factors leading to the disaster by considering a few representative cases. The concept of human factors is introduced, and the various models that have been in use to understand the root causes leading to aviation accidents are presented. An example of the application of human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS) framework is narrated. It is found that majority of recent civil aviation accidents have occurred during the landing and approach phases, and it is possible to minimize the accidents by suitably maintaining situational awareness. Considering the growth of air traffic that is expected to double in the next 10–15 years, the role of human factors in preventing aviation accidents is even more relevant. A new model for human factors is proposed. Way forward to even safer skies is presented.

**Keywords:** human factors, aviation accidents, pilot fatigue, aircraft maintenance, crew resource management, air traffic control, aircraft inspection, work pressure, safety management system, aviation safety, SHEL model, Swiss-cheese model, PEAR model, dirty dozen, HFACS, seven-segment model
