Cenipa report identifies a dynamic of high workload in the cabin When investigating the crash of the Voepass plane that killed 62 people in Vinhedo (SP), in August 2024, the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa) concluded that one of the elements that contributed to the accident was the reduction in the crew's ability to perceive and interpret alerts issued by the aircraft itself. To explain this behavior, the agency uses two concepts from cognitive psychology: inattentional blindness; and inattentional deafness. The terms appear in the final report released on Thursday (23), which also points out failures by the airline, the crew and the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) among other factors. Psychologist and doctor in neuropsychiatry and behavioral sciences Maria da Conceição Correia Pereira, a specialist in human factors in complex environments, having worked in aviation for more than 30 years, explains that these phenomena do not mean distraction, negligence or lack of preparation on the part of the professional – although the names may suggest failures in the senses. "When we talk about the human factor, it is important to highlight that this does not mean guilt or negligence. Cognitive psychology and neuroscience show that our brain has natural limits, especially when it comes to processing information", he states. ?? Important: the phenomena of blindness and deafness due to inattention do not appear in the report as direct causes of the accident, but rather as cognitive mechanisms that help explain why certain alerts may not have been noticed in a context of high workload for the pilot and co-pilot. It is not a vision or hearing problem. According to Cenipa, the pilots were subjected to a high workload in the final phase of the flight. At the same time as they needed to manage the accumulation of ice on the aircraft, deal with failures in the deicing system, maintain contact with the tower and carry out approach procedures, they also had personal conversations. In this scenario, researchers assess that the ability to recognize and process visual and audio alerts was affected. The document highlights, for example, that the signal about loss of performance was issued when the pilots were communicating with traffic control, but the cockpit recordings did not record any indication that the warnings had been discussed. The psychologist highlights that an airplane cabin is an environment where diverse information competes for attention at the same time: flight instruments, weather conditions, radio communications, alarms, procedures and quick decision-making. "The brain needs to select what will be prioritized. That's exactly where these phenomena come in", he explains. What is inattentional blindness? Inattentional blindness happens when a person is looking at certain information, but the brain, completely focused on another task, stops processing it consciously. In other words, the eyes see, but the information does not reach consciousness. In practice, this means that a pilot can have a warning light flashing on the panel in front of him and still not realize its meaning because his attention is completely focused on another demand considered more urgent at that moment. "It is a phenomenon of attention, not vision. The person is looking at that information, but the brain is so focused on another task that it is not processed consciously. The eyes see, but the brain does not register what was seen", summarizes the expert. What about deafness due to inattention? In inattentional deafness, the mechanism is practically the same, but involves sounds. In this case, the sound alert normally reaches the ears, but fails to receive enough attention to be interpreted by the brain. "It is not a loss of hearing. The sound arrives normally, but, given the high cognitive load, the brain may fail to attribute meaning to that alert. It is a limitation of attention", explains Maria da Conceição. In a flight deck, several sounds can occur simultaneously: communications with the tower, electronic warnings, engine noise and conversations. When the brain is overloaded, some of these stimuli may no longer be prioritized. Why would this happen to experienced pilots? Conceição says that neuroscience shows that the brain does not record everything it sees or hears. Instead, it continually selects the information it considers most relevant at that moment. Therefore: this is an expected behavior of the human brain, including in highly trained professionals; The occurrence of these phenomena does not mean a lack of skill or care. Faced with a large volume of information, the brain works like a filter and directs its resources to what it considers most important at that moment. When this focus is completely focused on a critical demand, other stimuli may no longer be processed consciously. "Attention often works like a spotlight. It illuminates what we are consciously processing. When this focus is completely directed towards an urgent demand, other information can go unnoticed." ?? Understand: a common example is when the driver makes a turn and forgets to have the arrow turned on. Although the audible warning continues to be emitted inside the car and the light flashes on the dashboard, the driver may fail to notice the warnings because they are paying attention to other tasks, such as observing traffic, changing lanes or looking at the GPS. In short, training reduces risks, but does not eliminate the brain's natural limitations. Even highly skilled pilots may have compromised attention in stressful situations with high cognitive load, when several stimuli compete at the same time for attention resources. Training and technology can work around