Human Error in Volatile Situations

Even the best laid plans can go catastrophically wrong when humans get involved. This week, people bungle simple operations on some of the most dangerous weapons in the world. Prologue: Ira tells the little known story about one of the times we almost began a nuclear war with the Soviet Union—by accident. (2 minutes) Act One: In 1980, deep in a nuclear missile silo in Arkansas, a simple human error nearly caused the destruction of a giant portion of the Midwest. Joe Richman, founder of Radio Diaries tells the story.  Eric Molinsky helped report this story. Thanks to Eric Schlosser who was a huge help to us and whose book Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety covers this accident and others like it. (35 minutes) Erring Like a Sailor: The Navy’s Seventh Fleet has seen a string of collisions and accidents, killing 17 sailors this year. Producer Stephanie Foo learned about a part of Navy life that investigators say played a role in these accidents. (18 minutes)