Stress in the aviation industry is a common phenomenon composed of three sources : physiological stressors , psychological stressors , and environmental stressors . Professional pilots can experience stress in flight , on the ground during work-related activities , and during personal time because of the influence of their occupation . An airline pilot can be an extremely stressful job due to the workload , responsibilities and safety of the thousands of passengers they transport around the world . Chronic levels of stress can negatively impact one 's health , job performance and cognitive functioning . Being exposed to stress does not always negatively influence humans because it can motivate people to improve and help them adapt to a new environment . Unfortunate accidents start to occur when a pilot is under excessive stress , as it dramatically affects his or her physical , emotional , and mental conditions . Stress " jeopardizes decision-making relevance and cognitive functioning " and it is a prominent cause of pilot error . Being a pilot is considered a unique job that requires managing high workloads and good psychological and physical health . Unlike the other professional jobs , pilots are considered to be highly affected by stress levels . One study states that 70 % of surgeons agreed that stress and fatigue do n't impact their performance level , while only 26 % of pilots denied that stress influences their performance . Pilots themselves realize how powerful stress can be , and yet many accidents and incidents continues to occur and have occurred , such as Asiana Airlines Flight 214 , American Airlines Flight 1420 , and Polish Air Force Tu-154
Asiana Airlines Flight 214
Asiana Airlines Flight 214
Stress in the aviation industry