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At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Suicide by aircraft: a comparative analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is the 11 th leading cause of death in the United States. The objective of this study is to document the characteristics of aviation-related suicides and suicide attempts. METHODS: Aviation accidents reported by the National Transportation Safety Board between 1983 and 2003 were screened for cases in which suicide was listed as a probable cause. For each suicide case, two accidents were randomly selected as controls, matched on sex of pilot, type of flight, state, and year of occurrence. Mantel-Haenszel summary Chi-square tests were used to compare cases to controls. Conditional logistic regression modeling was performed to assess the association of pilot and flight characteristics with suicide-related crashes. RESULTS: During the 21-yr study period, 37 pilots committed or attempted suicide by aircraft, with 36 resulting in at least one fatality. All the cases were men and involved general aviation flights. Toxicological test results revealed that 24% of the cases had used alcohol and 14% had used other illicit drugs. Underlying factors included domestic and social problems (46%), legal trouble (40%), and pre-existing psychiatric conditions (38%). Compared with controls, suicide cases involved younger pilots (p < 0.05), were less likely to have another occupant (p < 0.0001), were more destructive to the aircraft (p < 0.0001), and were more likely to have occurred away from the airport (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Aviation crashes caused by suicide differ from unintentional aviation accidents in pilot characteristics, crash circumstances, and outcomes.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2004

Ethanol formation in unadulterated postmortem tissues.

During the investigation of aviation accidents, postmortem samples obtained from fatal accident victims are submitted to the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) for toxicological analysis. During toxicological evaluations, ethanol analysis is performed on all cases. Many species of bacteria, yeast, and fungi have the ability to produce ethanol and other volatile organic compounds in postmortem specimens. The potential for postmortem ethanol formation complicates the interpretation of ethanol-positive results from accident victims. Therefore, the prevention of ethanol formation at all steps following specimen collection is a priority. Sodium fluoride is the most commonly used preservative for postmortem specimens. Several studies have been published detailing the effectiveness of sodium fluoride for the prevention of ethanol formation in blood and urine specimens; however, our laboratory receives blood or urine in approximately 70% of cases. Thus, we frequently rely on tissue specimens for ethanol analysis. The postmortem tissue specimens received by our laboratory have generally been subjected to severe trauma and may have been exposed to numerous microbial species capable of ethanol production. With this in mind, we designed an experiment utilizing unadulterated tissue specimens obtained from aviation accident victims to determine the effectiveness of sodium fluoride at various storage temperatures for the prevention of microbial ethanol formation. We found that without preservative, specimens stored at 4 degrees C for 96 h showed an increase in ethanol concentration ranging from 22 to 75 mg/hg (average 42 +/- 15 mg/hg). At 25 degrees C, these same specimens showed an increase ranging from 19 to 84 mg/hg (average 45 +/- 22 mg/hg). With the addition of 1.00% sodium fluoride, there was no significant increase in ethanol concentration at either temperature.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2002

DWI convictions linked to a higher risk of alcohol-related aircraft accidents.

This paper assesses whether persons convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) are at increased risk of alcohol-related general aviation accidents. Past research has shown a clear link between DWI convictions and pilot-error accidents in commercial aviation. However, no study in the literature has addressed whether DWI convictions are associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related aircraft accidents. To evaluate a hypothesis, a total of 308912 pilot records over a 10-year period were analyzed using logistic regression. After potentially confounding variables were controlled, DWI convictions were found to be associated with alcohol-related aviation accidents. Pilots with DWI convictions were about 3.5 times more likely than pilots without convictions to have alcohol-related general aviation accidents. Actual or potential applications of this research include providing policy makers with data-driven information that is useful in improving decisions related to the medical certification of pilots.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1975

Personality aspects of involvement in pilot-error accidents.

The consistently high frequency of pilot-error accidents in both military and civilian aviation programs does much to support exploratory research which might help alleviate the problem. Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF), Mehrabian Achievement Scale, and a dynamic decision making task (under risk) were given to 51 Army aviators. Accident files were then examined in order to classify the aviators as to their prior pilot-error accident involvement. Stepwise discriminant analyses revealed that the decision-making task scores and the achievement scores were unrelated to the pilot error accident groupings while the 16 PF scores were able to correctly classify 86% of the aviators as to whether or not they had been previously listed as a cause factor in a military aviation accident.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2003

Distribution of butalbital in postmortem tissues and fluids from non-overdose cases.

During the investigation of fatal aviation accidents, postmortem samples from the pilots/co-pilots are submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) for toxicological analysis. Although therapeutic levels for most drugs are typically reported in the scientific literature for blood and plasma, blood specimens are received in only approximately 70% of our cases. Therefore, it is imperative for an accident investigator and forensic toxicologist to be able to estimate drug concentrations in an aviation accident victim's blood from available tissue drug concentrations. This is exemplified by a recent aviation fatality in which butalbital was identified in the muscle tissue of a pilot. In this case, no blood was available for analysis, but investigators needed to know the approximate butalbital concentration expected in the victim's blood. Certain side effects of butalbital, such as drowsiness, sedation, dizziness, and a feeling of intoxication, could affect pilot performance and become a significant factor in an aviation accident. Thus, our laboratory determined the distribution of butalbital in various postmortem tissues and fluids. The distribution coefficients for butalbital, expressed as specimen/blood ratios, were found to be as follows: 0.66 +/- 0.09 (muscle, n = 4), 0.98 +/- 0.09 (kidney, n = 4), 0.87 +/- 0.06 (lung, n = 4), 0.75 +/- 0.03 (spleen, n = 4), 0.96 +/- 0.07 (brain, n = 3), 2.22 +/- 0.04 (liver, n = 4), and 0.91 +/- 0.17 (heart, n = 2). The results obtained from our limited number of cases suggest that muscle, kidney, lung, spleen, brain, liver, and heart could be used, in a cautious and conservative fashion, to estimate butalbital blood concentrations.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1975

Application of the Calspan scene measurement system to the investigation of aircraft accidents.

Investigation of transportation accidents usually involves some measurement of physical evidence at the scene. Accurate accident scene data facilitates reconstruction of the accident events and possible determination of the cause. The Calspan Scene Measurement System combines computer technology with civil engineering to provide a useful opitcal measurement device for recording the location of physical evidence at the accident scene. The Calspan Accident Investigation Vehicle, currently under development, is designed to enable investigation teams to completely analyze the evidence and causes of automobile accidents. The concepts and equipment in this system are readily adaptable to the study of aviation accidents.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The concept of disaster and its application in Asturias].

FUNDAMENTALS: Disaster can be defined as an unusual event for which the impact exceeds the affected community ability to meet the effects using own resources. The aim of the study is review the recent disaster profile of Asturias and assess the applicability of current disaster definitions in our context. METHODS: We considered as disaster each event producing casualties and requiring intervention of the civil protection services during the period 1982-1993, excluding minor transit accidents with no participation of the civil protection services. Date, place, characteristics, mortality and morbidity impact were studied for each event and then analyzed. We studied also current availability health resources in case of disaster. RESULTS: 14 events were recorded yielding to 88 deceased and 3 injured people (6.28 deaths by event). Aviation accidents were the most frequent event (35.7%) followed by railway, mining, shipwrecks and floods. Shipwrecks had higher mortality impact (36.3% of the total deceased people). Only minor technological disasters has happened in Asturias. This prevalence pattern differs from the spanish one characterized by a double face (natural and technological disasters). CONCLUSIONS: Traditional concept of major disaster cannot be applied to the Asturias context as the exam of our recent epidemiological prevalence pattern shows. Only mayor transit accidents (aviation, railway and shipwrecks) occur and its impact can be easily managed by the current relief community resources. However, an important potential risk of technological disasters exists and it requires have ready sectorial prevention plans.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

Quantitation of atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol in postmortem human fluid and tissue specimens via LC/APCI-MS.

Hypertension is a growing medical concern in the United States. With the number of Americans suffering from hypertension increasing, the use of antihypertensives such as beta-blockers is increasing as well. In fact, three beta-blockers - atenolol, metoprolol and propranolol - were among the 200 most prescribed medications in the United States in 2003. Pilots that successfully manage their hypertension can remain certified to fly. The Federal Aviation Administration currently designates approximately 8% of active pilots as "hypertensive with medication". The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) performs toxicological evaluation on victims of fatal aviation accidents. At CAMI beta-blockers are analyzed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection. We have, however, recently developed a liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC/MS) method for the simultaneous quantitation of three commonly prescribed beta-blockers, atenolol, metoprolol and propranolol. One advantage of our LC/MS method is the specificity provided by an ion trap MS. Utilizing an ion trap MS, we were able to conduct MS/MS and MS/MS/MS on each analyte. This method also eliminates the time-consuming and costly derivitization step necessary during GC/MS analysis. Additionally, by utilizing this novel method, any concerns about beta-blocker metabolite and/or sample matrix interference are eliminated. The limits of detection for this method ranged from 0.39 to 0.78 ng/mL and the linear dynamic range was generally 1.6-3200 ng/mL. The extraction efficiencies for each analyte ranged from 58% to 82%. This method was successfully applied to postmortem fluid and tissue specimens obtained from victims of three separate aviation accidents.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2004

[Risk and risk management in aviation].

RISK MANAGEMENT: The large proportion of human errors in aviation accidents suggested the solution--at first sight brilliant--to replace the fallible human being by an "infallible" digitally-operating computer. However, even after the introduction of the so-called HITEC-airplanes, the factor human error still accounts for 75% of all accidents. Thus, if the computer is ruled out as the ultimate safety system, how else can complex operations involving quick and difficult decisions be controlled? OPTIMIZED TEAM INTERACTION/PARALLEL CONNECTION OF THOUGHT MACHINES: Since a single person is always "highly error-prone", support and control have to be guaranteed by a second person. The independent work of mind results in a safety network that more efficiently cushions human errors. NON-PUNITIVE ERROR MANAGEMENT: To be able to tackle the actual problems, the open discussion of intervened errors must not be endangered by the threat of punishment. It has been shown in the past that progress is primarily achieved by investigating and following up mistakes, failures and catastrophes shortly after they happened. HUMAN FACTOR RESEARCH PROJECT: A comprehensive survey showed the following result: By far the most frequent safety-critical situation (37.8% of all events) consists of the following combination of risk factors: 1. A complication develops. 2. In this situation of increased stress a human error occurs. 3. The negative effects of the error cannot be corrected or eased because there are deficiencies in team interaction on the flight deck. This means, for example, that a negative social climate has the effect of a "turbocharger" when a human error occurs. It needs to be pointed out that a negative social climate is not identical with a dispute. In many cases the working climate is burdened without the responsible person even noticing it: A first negative impression, too much or too little respect, contempt, misunderstandings, not expressing unclear concern, etc. can considerably reduce the efficiency of a team.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed2000

Controlled flight into terrain accidents among commuter and air taxi operators in Alaska.

BACKGROUND: Between 1990 and 1998, aviation accidents in Alaska caused 100 occupational pilot deaths (equivalent to 430/100,000 pilots/ year, approximately 86 times the overall U.S. worker fatality rate). Although Alaskan geography and climate increase aviation risks, many accidents were attributed to pilot error. While most accidents occurred during takeoff/landing, most fatalities resulted from Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT). The purpose of this study was to examine risk factors for CFIT. METHODS: Using National Transportation Safety Board airplane accident data we identified CFIT from flight phase and event description fields, and calculated odds ratios for CFIT/non-CFIT accidents for visual conditions, aircraft features, and pilot experience. RESULTS: Between 1991 and 1998, 351 single aircraft commuter and air taxi accidents occurred in Alaska; 59 (17%) were CFIT. Of 140 total fatalities, 82 (59%) occurred in 30 CFIT accidents. There was a twelve-fold risk for death in CFIT vs. non-CFIT accidents (OR = 12.42, 95% CI = 8.19-18.88). Accidents while flying Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into poor visibility were more likely CFIT than non-CFIT (Odds ratio = 46.06, Confidence Interval = 19.32-112.46), and caused 37% of all deaths. Additionally, flights in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) were 47 times more likely to be CFIT than non-CFIT. No risk for CFIT was shown for flight hours, number of engines, passenger presence, or pilot age. All CFIT were attributed to pilot error, often for continuing VFR into poor visibility. CONCLUSION: CFIT caused most aviation deaths. Further research into human factors contributing to CFIT is needed. Implementation of global-positioning, ground-proximity/avoidance technology, might reduce CFIT incidence.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1994

Indian Air Force and world spatial disorientation accidents: a comparison.

Human error is known to be a major contributory factor in aviation accidents, with spatial disorientation (SD) a preeminent cause within this group. This paper presents incidence of SD-related accidents in some major Air Forces of the West, and compares it with Indian Air Force (IAF) data from 1970 to 1990. Incongruence between the Indian and Western (U.S. and British) data is discussed, and possible reasons for this are highlighted. The authors suggest a review of the existing working definition of spatial disorientation with particular reference to its usage by accident investigators.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative determination of sildenafil (Viagra) and its metabolite (UK-103,320) in fluid and tissue specimens obtained from six aviation fatalities.

During the investigation of aviation accidents, postmortem samples from victims are submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute for toxicological analysis. This report presents a rapid and reliable method for the identification and quantitation of sildenafil (Viagra) and its active metabolite, UK-103,320. This procedure utilizes sildenafil-d(8) as an internal standard for more accurate and reliable quantitation. The quantitation of sildenafil and UK-103,320 in postmortem fluid and tissue specimens obtained from victims from six separate aviation fatalities is described. The method incorporates solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) and MS-MS-MS utilizing an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap MS in the positive chemical ionization mode. Solid-phase extraction provided an efficient sample extraction yielding recoveries ranging from 79 to 88%. The limits of detection for sildenafil and UK-103,320 were 0.39 and 0.19 ng/mL, respectively. The linear dynamic range for both compounds was 0.78-800 ng/mL. The current method proved to be simple, accurate, and robust for the identification and quantitation of sildenafil and UK-103,320 in postmortem fluids and tissues.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed2005

Flight safety in Alaska: comparing attitudes and practices of high- and low-risk air carriers.

INTRODUCTION: Aircraft operations are a vital component of the transportation system in Alaska. Between 1990-2002, a total of 481 people died in Alaska in aviation accidents. The purpose of this study was to examine the practices and attitudes of Alaska commuter and air taxi operators and their pilots as they relate to company fatal accident rates. METHODS: A case-control analysis based on accident statistics was performed, grouping operators and their pilots into cases and controls, based on operator fatal accident rates, during January 1990 to June 2001. Responses from two aviation safety surveys-one of air carrier operators and one of active commercial pilots-were compared between cases and controls. RESULTS: The average case pilot had less career flight experience than control pilots and worked 13 h x d(-1) and 81 h x wk(-10; that is, 1 h x d(-1) and 10 h wk-1 more than controls. Case operators were less likely to consider pilot fatigue a problem when scheduling flights (p = 0.05) and more likely to depend financially on timely delivery of bypass mail (p = 0.04). Case pilots were three times as likely as controls to fly daily into unknown weather conditions. Nearly 90% of case pilots reported that they never flew when so fatigued that they wanted to decline the flight, compared with 64% of control pilots (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Pilots of high-risk operators differed from those working for the other operators, both in experience and working conditions. The combination of pilot inexperience and longer work hours and workweeks may contribute to Alaska's high aviation crash rate.

Accidents, Aviation↗