Toxicological findings from 1587 civil aviation accident pilot fatalities, 1999-2003.

Abstract

The prevalence of drug and ethanol use in aviation is monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under such monitoring, toxicological studies for the 1989-1993 and 1994-1998 periods indicated lower percentages of the presence of controlled substances (illegal drugs) than that of prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) drugs in aviation accident pilot fatalities. In continuation, a toxicological assessment was made for an additional period of 5 yr.Biosamples from aviation accident pilot fatalities submitted to the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) are analyzed, and those findings are stored in a database. This database was examined for the 1999-2003 period for the presence of controlled substances (Schedules I-V), prescription/nonprescription drugs, and ethanol in the fatalities.Out of 1629 fatal aviation accidents from which CAMI received biosamples, pilots were fatally injured in 1587 accidents. Drugs and/or ethanol were found in 830 (52%) of the 1587 fatalities. Controlled substances from Schedules I-II (SI-II) and Schedules III-V (SIII-V) were detected in 113 and 42 pilots, respectively. Prescription drugs were present in 315 pilots, nonprescription drugs in 259, and ethanol in 101. SI-II substances were detected in 5 of 122 first-class medical certificate-holding airline transport pilots. In addition to the controlled substances, many of the prescription/nonprescription drugs found in the fatalities have the potential for impairing performance.Findings from this study were consistent with those of two previous toxicological studies and support the FAA's programs aimed at reducing the usage of performance-impairing substances.