Ayiei AyieiLuke PollockFatima Najeeb KhanJohn MurrayGlenn BaxterGraham Wild2025-03-102025-03-102020Fatigue of Aircraft Structures2081773810.2478/fas-2020-00012-s2.0-85106656044https://repository.dusit.ac.th//handle/123456789/4749Ensuring aircraft are technically safe to operate is the realm of airworthiness, literally worthy of being in the air. This is achieved not only with technological tools and techniques, or with just personnel and manpower, it is guided and supervised by managers and leaders. As such, the objective of this paper is to understand the role leadership plays in maintaining aviation safety and aircraft airworthiness. To this end, a case study of the Hawker Sidley Nimrod XV230 accident that occurred on September 2, 2006 near Kandahar in Afghanistan, was utilized. The study concluded that leadership is a key aspect, specifically finding that leaders are responsible for articulating the organizations vision, strategic objective setting, and monitoring the achievement of those objectives. It was concluded that operational airworthiness is directly dependent on the leadership ability to provide direction, workplace culture, continued learning, and establish risk management systems for safe and airworthy operations. © 2020 Ayiei Ayiei et al., published by Sciendo 2020.All Open Access; Gold Open Accessaircraft accidentsairworthinessaviation safetyleadershipArticleScopus