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T J Ungs

Publications and source records attributed to T J Ungs.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Population-based description of aircraft accident mortality, U.S. military, 1980-90.

BACKGROUND: Aircraft crashes are an important cause of premature and preventable mortality. The nature and missions of the U.S. military services place active duty members at risk for aircraft accidents. METHODS: Mortality data on Department of Defense active duty service members were obtained from the Worldwide Casualty System (WCS), an automated data base of active duty military personnel casualty information. Military service population data were obtained from the Defense Manpower Data Center. Aggregate and service-, sex-, rank-, and race-specific mortality rates were calculated. RESULTS: Between 1980-90, the U.S. military services reported 22,753 deaths (98.2 deaths/100,000 active duty service members) due to all causes combined, 14,100 deaths (60.9 deaths/100,000) due to accident causes, and 2,258 (9.8 deaths/100,000) due to aircraft accident causes. The Marine Corps had the highest service-specific mortality rate, 16.3 deaths/100,000, while the Navy had the lowest, 7.5 deaths/100,000. The male to female mortality rate ratio was 6.6:1. Aircraft crash mortality rate for officers, 39.7 deaths/100,000, was higher than that for enlisted persons, 4.8 deaths/100,000. The Navy had the highest officer-to-enlisted mortality rate ratio, 17:1, while the Army had the lowest, 3.9:1. CONCLUSIONS: Aircraft crashes are an important cause of mortality among the military services. There are differences in mortality rates between the services with an overall trend of mortality decline.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1995

Explanatory factors for the geographic distribution of U.S. civil aviation mortality.

BACKGROUND: State-specific aviation-related mortality rates differ substantially between various geographical regions of the United States. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to ascertain important explanatory factors that account for the geographical distribution of mortality. METHODS: National Center for Health Statistics sources were used to calculate state-specific, age-adjusted mortality rates. Fatalities studied were those attributed to select civil aviation-related causes (ICD-9 E-codes 840.2-.6, 841.2-.6, 842.2-.6) that occurred from 1979-89. State-specific information on a variety of selected variables was obtained from census, commerce, and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sources. Multiple linear regression techniques were used to assess the relationship between selected variables and state-specific mortality rates. RESULTS: There were 13,048 deaths for a U.S. 11-year mean mortality rate of 4.9 deaths/1,000,000 general population. Mountainous states of the western U.S. had the highest 11-year mean mortality rates (range 8.6-79.6 deaths/1,000,000). Mid-Atlantic states had the lowest rates (range 1.6-2.9 deaths/1,000,000). Regression analysis identified pilot density (number of pilots per 1,000,000 general population), top elevation (highest point of land within state boundaries), and flight intensity (number of general aviation flight hours flown per pilot) as important factors in explaining 92% of state mortality differences. CONCLUSIONS: Highest aviation-related mortality rates are found in states with expanses of mountainous terrain, and relatively high pilot densities and flight activity levels.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1994

Suicide by use of aircraft in the United States, 1979-1989.

Intentional aircraft crashes are a dramatic cause of death. The entire set of fatalities due to this cause of death in the United States has not been described. Mortality data from aircraft crashes determined as being due to suicide were obtained from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) data sources. The NCHS reported that, between 1979 and 1989, ten persons committed suicide by aircraft crashes. Twenty aircraft crash fatalities were also reported during the period in which the intent of death could not be determined as either suicide, homicide, or accidental. White middle-aged males accounted for the majority of deaths. The NTSB reported, for the years 1979-89, that nine fatal aircraft accidents were suicide. All fatalities were male pilots operating small fixed wing aircraft. NTSB investigations identified evidence for important adverse psychologic factors in most pilots.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1994

Civil aviation mortality, state differences, and the role of multi-fatality aircraft accidents.

Mortality due to transportation-related causes may differ by state of residence and state of occurrence. Aircraft accidents can cause multiple fatalities due to a single event. Population-based state-specific civil aviation accident mortality rates were calculated using National Center for Health Statistics data for the years 1980-89. Aircraft accident information for the same period was obtained from National Transportation Safety Board sources. The national 10-year mean mortality rate for civil aviation-related causes was 5.2 deaths/1,000,000 general population. State-specific mortality rates by state of residence varied between 2.1 and 79.9 deaths/1,000,000 general population. Rates by state of death occurrence varied between 1.5 and 98.0 deaths/1,000,000. Mortality rates, calculated by state of residence, differed from rates calculated by state of occurrence for most states. For some states the differences were considerable. Ten states experienced at least one aircraft accident between 1980 and 1989 which accounted for 20 or more fatalities. These multi-fatality events had a substantial effect on state-specific aviation-related mortality rates.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1994

Population-based description of air and space transport accident mortality, United States, 1979-89.

The aeromedical literature typically uses fatal accident rates (fatal accidents/100,000 aircraft flight hours) as a measure of aviation-related mortality. Calculation of population-based mortality rates (deaths/1,000,000 population) would permit comparison of aviation-related rates with rates due to other causes of death such as heart disease or motor vehicle accidents. Population-based mortality rates for air and space transport accidents were generated for the years 1979-89 using National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) data sources. The NCHS reported 15,017 air and space transport deaths for an 11-year mean mortality rate of 5.8 deaths/1,000,000 U.S. general population. The mortality rate decreased 41% from 7.8 deaths/1,000,000 in 1979 to 4.6 deaths/1,000,000 during 1989. Highest race/sex mortality rates occurred in white males and the lowest in black females. The highest state-specific mortality rates were clustered in mountainous states of the western United States. There was a 40-fold difference between the state with the highest mortality rate (Alaska) and the state with the lowest rate (Massachusetts). A better understanding of factors which contribute to the geographical distribution of mortality needs to be studied.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1993

Safety concerns as a factor in pilot desire to change aircraft.

An anonymous and voluntary questionnaire was completed by 461 (73.4%) Coast Guard aviators at 26 participating Air Stations. Most (92%) pilots felt that helicopters had more dangerous missions and were less safe than fixed wing aircraft (FXAC). Two thirds (204) of helicopter and 19.3% (29) of FXAC pilots stated a desire to change to a different aircraft category. Only 1 (3.6%) of the FXAC pilots but 81 (39.8%) of the helicopter pilots stated their wish for aircraft change was influenced by a desire to operate aircraft they perceived as safer. Pilots who desired change in aircraft category were more senior, more experienced, and felt they were currently engaging in dangerous flight operations. In conclusion this study found that: 1) Coast Guard pilots consider helicopters less safe than FXAC; 2) a substantial proportion of helicopter pilots would like to change to FXAC; 3) safety concerns can be a common factor in pilots' desires to change aircraft.

Adult↗