AN ANALYSIS OF IN-FLIGHT IMPAIRMENT AND INCAPACITATIONIN FATAL GENERAL AVIATION ACCIDENTS (1990-1998)

摘要

In-flight impairment and incapacitation are defined as states wherein the pilot'srnability to effectively control the aircraft is adversely affected. They are of special concernrnin general aviation given there may be no second pilot to take over the controls. Thernpurpose of the present study was to examine the characteristics of fatal general aviationrnaccidents associated with impairment and incapacitation. A comprehensive review ofrn2,696 fatal general aviation accidents from 1990-1998 using database records maintainedrnby the NTSB and FAA yielded 216 accidents (8.01%) that had some form ofrnimpairmenthncapacitation or physiological causes mentioned in the accident report.rnImpairment due to drugs (n = 88, 40.7%) and alcohol (n = 68, 31.5%) were the mostrncommon causes. Cardiovascular causes were cited in 12.03% (n = 26) of the cases.rnSignificant relationships were observed between age and impairmenthncapacitation duernto alcohol, drugs, and cardiovascular causes. Some disparities were observed between thernprevalence of alcohol in toxicology samples and alcohol impairment being cited in thernaccident report as a contributory factor. The analysis provides some insight into thernpossible causes of pilot impairment and incapacitation in general aviation. Education andrnrisk management training may serve as effective interventions.