Great problem solvers don't chase theories, they chase evidence, even when it takes years to find it. That's the lesson from Captain John Cox, who led the four-year investigation into USAir Flight 427, one of the most complex air crash investigations in history.
With 56 years in aviation, including 25 years flying for major airlines and over 14,000 flying hours, John built one of the world's most respected aviation safety consultancies, now in its 21st year. A veteran accident investigator and commentator on the TV series Air Crash Investigations, he's spent decades teaching organisations how to move from reactive fixes to proactive risk management.
In this episode, John walks Ishan through how he assembled and led an investigative team, why confirmation bias is one of the most dangerous traps in complex problem solving, and how filtering signal from noise in overwhelming data determines whether you find the real cause. He also discusses where AI genuinely strengthens investigation work, and where human creativity, like the decision to land on the Hudson River, remains irreplaceable.
For a copy of Ishan’s book, Unlock, please visit:
https://ishangalapathy.com/books/
More About Ishan Galapathy and to access his ‘Chaos to Excellence’ White Paper:
https://ishangalapathy.com/

Ep121 The Danger of Being Exceptionally Good at the Wrong Thing
16:28

Ep119 Understanding the Problem Before Solving It
17:29

Ep118 Rework: How Small Errors Can Lead to Massive Problems
16:10