Part 6/9:

The multiplicity of factors affecting the pilots' decision-making cannot be overstated. Fatigue and high-pressure environments commonly afflict long-haul pilots, with a focus on completing final checklist tasks amplifying mental loads. If one pilot interpreted an ATC clearance incorrectly, there was a significant risk that the other pilot might not have countered it due to this plausible bias—a dangerous combination of stress and expectation surrounding clearance for takeoff linguistically similar to crossing instructions.