TENERIFE AND MT EVEREST PAPER

First and foremost, I would like to discuss Mount Everest regarding the individual level decision-making. The Mount Everest disaster happened due to poor decision, poor judgment, and no reinforcement of the rules regarding how everyone must descend from the Summit by 2:00pm. In addition, the two lead individuals of the expedition, Rob Hall and Scott Fischer were very confident in their ability to bring their clients to the summit. During this adventure, early on, there were obvious issues and signs, such as health issues amongst clients, warning signs of possible bad weather conditions during hike to summit, which they ignored. Moreover, these signs and interruptions lead everyone to believe that there was a possibility, that they would not make a safe return during their descend from the summit. My main concern about this venture was how they both were responsible for everyone getting on top of the summit and failed at taking heed to the warning signs at based camp. Although Hall and Fischer hired all types of individuals they still needed to find out to make sure that everyone that was on this venture was capable to go up to the summit and in good health. In the end both Hall and Fisher lost their lives helping others and still left their clients to survive on their own. Clients that were upon this expedition had concerns but his only concern that he would possibly have to save somebody else during his hike to the summit. They both lost their lives doing just that. Hall clients arrived at base camp with respiratory and digestive ailments while Fisher had logistical problems. Normally when you have issues like this from the start it’s would have been a clear indication to make a decision to refuse people to go to the summit and revisit their plan about going to the Summit. I believe these initial problems on base camp contributed to the outcome of deaths on Mount Everest. Hall and Fisher failed to ignore the warning signs from the start.
After failed attempts with prior clients to make it the summit due to weather issues in year prior. Hall and fisher were determined. They wanted to prove to people they could make it. I think with that in mind and the pressure, as a result it caused them to make bad decisions. Hall and Fischer should have planned better and not ignored the warning signs on base camp. When you call to make good decisions involving lives you can’t be so determined to prove a point, or try to prove your creditability where you wind up losing your own life and put others in jeopardy. People also felt there wasn’t any unity during this venture, some felt alone and as problems became evident, people became scared fearful and worried of their own outcome.
Forcing some clients to go on when they exuded signs that they were incapable of completing the journey to the summit caused harm. In addition, it was just a lot of things going on that contributed to this whole Mount Everest disaster; it's not really a person's fault it was just poor judgment and poor decision making on Hall and Fischer’s part and too much determination that was appropriate for this situation. Their determination caused people lives. As leaders we have to know when to call quits even at the sake of foregoing our own reputation or creditability when involves losing lives. Tenerife case, KLM captain knew that he was taking risk and in heat of moment during takeoff, despite not obtaining clearance, he was so confident in his years of experience that he put everyone lives a danger which caused everyone to die in the plane crash. I see in both cases that some team members felt inadequate, they felt inferior and they didn't want to speak up. When they saw their leaders such as the captain of KLM was not listening and he didn't follow the aviation policy is it the policies and procedures regarding obtaining clearance before takeoff the co pilots didn’t speak up.
Pan Am captain and co pilots really weren’t sure if they followed the command to turn off the correct exit on the runway. Confusion was going on both ends. The pilot of KLM, confidence in his own ability and not doing what he was supposed to do as a captain and then even his copilots were fearful of even challenging him really set the tone for disaster. This is the same scenario with the Hall and Fischer in the Mount Everest disaster. It seems like leaders in general exude this behavior, some people in power that are very successful make it very difficult for people to voice their opinion, which sometime could lead to disaster which sometimes cause people around them to feel inferior.
The confidence and determination was driven because Hall had attempted to bring these clients of the summits prior years but wasn’t able to due to inclement weather and he didn't want to disappoint his clients. This is why he became so adamant to reach the summit despite the warning signs around him. He emphasized very much in the beginning get to the Summit and quickly descends by 2:00pm. Hall was behind his clients and did not reach the summit in time enough to turn around because he was helping a client that was in trouble. When his client reached the summit, some remained there way too long and turned around way after 2:00pm, they were on four clients that followed instructions in descended others remained. The clients were in awe and became overwhelmed of the beauty of the summit and wanted to stay there and enjoy the moment that they were able to reach the summit. Even though he had people in charge to see after his clients, people was just so overwhelmed by the summit they stayed longer and very few took heed to warnings from the leaders to leave. There were s so many signs on their way up through camp one, 2 3, 4 and Hillary slope went up to the summit. Again, so many signs that danger was approaching but people were determined and getting sick during this journey. Hall and Fischer should have turned around when they knew clients were getting sick. Timing and good weather conditions were a significant factor in making this a successful assignment and journey to and from the summit. In addition, there was so many different scenarios that would make me want to turn around but I guess the persistence and the money that people paid and on an individual level just made everyone determent even in the worst situations in terms of health and in terms of seeing signs around them. Mother Nature, so to speak, was not cooperating; as a result decisions that were made were a hit or miss. They didn’t even have rope at the Hillary Slope that led to the summit because they thought that another team already had in staked in placed. That was a very dangerous route to take with rope and how could Hall and Fischer have taken a chance relying on someone else, especially when you have client’s life in your hands. There were so many situations that happened in between those various camp levels that they should've turned around way before they reached the summit. Especially knowing that they had a time to reach the summit by 12:00 noon at turn around to descend by 2 PM. There were so many signs and Fisher and Hall have a lot of similarities and they were prepared in some ways but a lot way they weren’t. There had ailments health wise to deal with them, so I’m not sure why they put themselves at great risk to follow through with this expedition. Their leadership skills regarding lack of judgment and poor decisions, being overly confident to prove a point risking other lives contributed to this disaster. The storm and cold weather also contributed Hall and Fisher were fully away of the bad weather and could have turned around. Lack of planning and having a contingency plan in place was lacking also.
I believe that Fisher and Hall should have been in the back or the “sweep” person for their clients. They could have been in from and let the Sherpa’s become the sweeps. I just believe that they should have been the lead not behind because I think people would've listened to him more I think he should've at least been ahead of the game so that way when he got to the top of the summit and on his way down he would been able to see trouble and get help, rather than being the one at the end of clients. Some of the clients wanted to wait for Hall while some left; as a result the group of clients begins to lose its unity on this expedition. Some even lost the importance and the danger of staying on the summer past 2:00pm because they were waiting for Hall and Fischer to come which put their lives at grave danger. Confusion had set in at this point about what to do on the summit Mount Everest. Eventually clients did leave and had to stick together and make through the storm, however some died during their descent because they didn’t leave on time, visibility was low and there weather was extremely cold and unbearable. I do commend about Haul the Fisher on how they maintain their integrity by staying with those clients that became sick and helpless to the point it brought death to them. Even though they hurt themselves in a lot of aspects but they were true to the end of making sure that their clients got the help they need it when they were in trouble so this is my contrast on an individual level.
The Tenerife accident wasn’t due to poor planning, poor judgment and confusion about what to do next. Moreover, Pan Am was clear about the exit turn instructions on the runway. However, like the Everest leaders the Pan and KLM chief pilots were the best in their field. The KLM and PAN pilot accident didn’t seem avoidable. The pilots lacked understanding of the airport setup. PAN AM didn’t know where to turn off; in addition fog and weather conditions contributed to the disaster. However, the KLM pilot did not receive clearance to fly, he was full of himself during the moment before takeoff and was reminded by his co pilots that he did not receive clearance. Based on the facts presented in the KLM and Pan Am disaster I believe this could have been avoided. Others may say if there wasn’t a bomb at the other airport, where they were scheduled to land, this would have never happened. There should always be a contingency plan in place when there are changes, but what is crucial; the KLM pilot went against aviation rules about receiving clearance. Possibly he didn’t want to stay overnight and inconvienience the passengers. The KLM pilot behaved as if he only had confidence is his experience, and the clearance tower people and his was consumed by his own ability and took matters literally in his own hand and failed to gain clearance from the tower.
The similarities between the Everest and Tenerife case is that you have outstanding leaders who were skilled in their craft but during trouble and opposition made poor decisions, became confused an overwhelmed when they were faced with serious circumstances. Mostly importantly, they ignored all signs around them, that prompted that was danger around and became overly confident in their ability to carry a task without taking serious head to existing warning signs. Team members in both cases were so afraid to speak up and take a stand until they were forced to save their own lives specifically with the Everest Case. Some of Hall and Fisher clients banded together in the time of trouble to save their own lives and came out successful when they forces to survive on their own. Leadership can always be questioned and a person that works with a leader should never be afraid to speak up and make the right decisions contrary to leader especially in life or death situations.