Drugs and Alcohol in Civil Aviation Accident Pilot Fatalities from 2004–2008

Details

• Creators:
  Canfield, Dennis V. ; Dubowski, Kurt M. ; Chaturvedi, Arvind K. ; Whinnery, James E.
• Corporate Creators:
  Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Medication
  • Drugs
  • Aviation safety
  • Air pilots
  • Fatalities
  • Medication
  • Drugs
  • Aviation safety
  • Air pilots
  • Fatalities
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/AM-11/13
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration
• Abstract:
  The FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine sets medical standards needed to protect the public and pilots from death ; or injury due to incapacitation of the pilot. As a part of this process, toxicology testing is performed by the FAA ; on almost every pilot who is fatally injured in an aviation accident to determine the medical condition of the ; pilot, medications used by the pilot at the time of the accident, and the extent of impairment, if any. The data ; were extracted from the FAA toxicology database for all fatal pilots who died from 2004 and 2008 in aviation ; accidents. The laboratory received and tested specimens from 1353 pilots who died in aviation accidents between ; 2004 and 2008. Findings where classified into three separate categories: Controlled Dangerous Substance, ; Prescription, and Over-the-Counter drugs. This study was conducted to determine the extent of drug use in ; pilots who have died in an aviation accidents from 2004 to 2008 and to determine the types of drugs most ; commonly found. A comparison of previously published reports with this study’s report was made to determine ; trends in drug use by pilots who have died in aviation accidents over the past 20 years. Factors were examined ; that could influence drug trends noted over the years. ; Diphenhydramine, an H1 antihistamine with impairing properties, is the most common drug found in pilots ; who have died in aviation accidents. The FAA has taken steps to warn pilots of the dangers in using this ; medication that is dispensed as both a prescription and an over-the-counter medication. Because significant ; aviation performance impairment can be associated with diphenhydramine, the Office of Aerospace Medicine ; will continue to take steps to help pilots decide when it is safe to resume flying duties after taking such an ; impairing medication.
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• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23283/dot_23283_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 541.83 KB]
• Collection(s):
  FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute ; US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f8141d72abf903ed68b8c0ceb8135ca9f296b188d05b50eb7c679b8b358435fa6e4c2f45bfd389878c89b610cbd4fb90a242b6b6fa3eb200bd0536564008c69f