"CNN: Another fascinating finding is that you are more likely to be in a plane crash if the pilot comes from a particular country. What's that all about?
Gladwell: Yes. That's a fascinating thing. The single most important variable in determining whether a plane crashes is not the plane, it's not the maintenance, it's not the weather, it's the culture the pilot comes from. Planes are flown safely when the pilot and co-pilot are in open and honest communication. And in cultures where it is difficult for a junior person to speak openly to a superior, you have lots of plane crashes.
CNN: And you said the Avianca crash here in [New York's] Oyster Bay ... is a very clear example of that.
Gladwell: Where the co-pilot was so intimidated by air traffic control, he could not tell them they were running out of fuel, and they crashed. They just go around and crashed."
http://us.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/11/21/malcolm.gladwell/index.html
