@article{ref1,
title="Toxicological findings from 1587 civil aviation accident pilot fatalities, 1999-2003",
journal="Aviation, space, and environmental medicine",
year="2005",
author="Chaturvedi, A. K. and Craft, Kristi J. and Canfield, D. V. and Whinnery, J. E.",
volume="76",
number="12",
pages="1145-1150",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.",
language="",
issn="0095-6562",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}