Root Cause, Risk Assessment & Contributing Factors — What’s the Difference?

In the world of aviation safety and compliance, we often hear these three terms used interchangeably: Root Cause Analysis, Risk Assessment, and Contributing Factors. While they are connected, each plays a distinct role in investigations, audits, and continuous improvement.

Let’s explore how they differ, how they overlap, and how to apply them effectively.

What is the difference between RCA, RA & Contributing Factors?

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Key Question: Why did this happen?

Root Cause Analysis is used after something has gone wrong. Whether it's a non-compliance, an audit finding, or an operational event, RCA seeks to uncover the deepest, most fundamental cause of the issue.

It goes beyond the obvious or immediate triggers and helps identify systemic weaknesses, design flaws, or organizational gaps.

• RCA prevents recurrence

• It supports corrective and preventive actions

Done well, RCA helps organizations fix what truly matters.

Risk Assessment

Key Question: What if it would escalate further?

Risk Assessment is often thought of as forward-looking, but in aviation it is also used retrospectively.

It helps evaluate the likelihood and/or existing defenses, and the potential severity of an event:

• Proactively: What could go wrong in the future?

• Reactively: How serious was this event, and what barriers were left intact?

In the context of safety reports, occurrence reviews, and audits, risk assessments help organizations prioritize resources and determine appropriate follow-up actions.

Contributing Factors

Key Question: How did this happen?

Not every detail in an investigation is the root cause. Some elements are supporting conditions, they made the event more likely, but they weren’t the primary cause.

These include:

• Environmental distractions

• Time pressure

• Poorly communicated procedures

• Minor technical anomalies

Understanding contributing factors gives the full picture and supports system-wide learning.

Together, these tools support a robust Safety Management System, promote a just culture, and create room for continuous improvement.

Glacier Aviation Consulting

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