The CRM failure in Atlas Air 3591 involved which combination?

• A. High situational awareness and precise transfer of control.
• B. Poor monitoring, poor mode awareness, and ineffective transfer/control communication.
• C. Excellent monitoring but poor engine performance.
• D. Overreliance on automation and autopilot.

Answer: (B)

CRM failure in Atlas Air 3591 comes down to a breakdown in how the crew used the aircraft’s automation together with communication and teamwork. The pilots failed to monitor what the automation was doing and to keep track of the mode the flight control system was in, so they didn’t recognize or respond appropriately to automation behavior. At the same time, the transfer of control and the communication between crew members were not clear or effective, so there wasn’t a coordinated handover of responsibility or a clear course of action. This combination undermined situational awareness and decision-making, which is exactly what CRM aims to prevent. The other descriptions don’t capture all three intertwined factors—monitoring, mode awareness, and transfer/communication—that together led to the incident.