Agricultural aviation versus other general aviation : toxicological findings in fatal accidents.

PDFTech ReportFAA-AM-78-31DOT/FAA/AM-78/31Aerial applicationAir pilotsAircraft accidentsFatalitiesAccident investigationAlcohol useCarbon monoxideDrug usePesticidesToxicityAccident analysisUnited StatesCivil Aerospace Medical InstituteLacefield, Delbert J.Roberts, Patricia A.Blossom, Curtis W.Civil Aeromedical InstituteUnited States. Office of Aviation MedicineNTL-AVIATION-Aviation Human FactorsNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-AccidentsNTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-Aviation Safety/AirworthinessUS Transportation CollectionResults from the toxicological study of samples from 174 pilots killed while engaged in aerial application and samples from 2,449 other general aviation pilots are compared. The incidence of alcohol in specimens was similar for ag pilots and other general aviation pilots but the blood levels of alcohol tended to be lower in the ag pilots. Carbon monoxide as an incapacitating agent did not appear to be a factor in aerial application operations. Evidence of the use of drugs or medications was less in ag pilots than in other general aviation pilots. Over half of the ag pilots had below normal cholinesterase levels, suggesting a continuing problem of acute and/or chronic toxicity from the pesticides being applied by agricultural aircraft. This finding suggests that better educational efforts could reduce the accident rate in this important segment of our agricultural activity