Citation

Wolf BC, Harding BE. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2008; 29(3): 214-218.

Affiliation

Office of the District 21 Medical Examiner, Fort Myers, FL, USA. barbaracwolf@aol.com

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PAF.0b013e3181802c95

PMID

18725774

Abstract

Aircraft designated for sport or recreational use only, including ultralights, experimental aircraft and light-sport aircraft, have become increasingly popular. Because of their relative safety and the rarity of fatalities resulting from crashes of these aircraft, the forensic literature contains little information concerning the pathologic findings in such deaths. We report 9 deaths resulting from 6 sport aircraft crashes in southwest Florida, 6 pilots and 3 passengers. The vehicles involved 3 experimental aircraft, 1 ultralight and 2"ultralight-like"aircraft. The patterns of injuries included trauma predominantly to the chest (3 cases), abdomen (1) or head (1), as well as multiple blunt force injuries involving the chest and abdomen (1) or the head and torso (3). Extremity fractures were found in only 2 cases, whereas injuries to the symphysis pubis were found in six. No"control-type"injuries were identified. These cases illustrate the varied pathologies associated with deaths due to crashes of sport aircraft and reveal the lack of uniformity associated with the investigations of such deaths.

Language: en