Pilot-induced factors in fatal light aircraft accidents in the United Kingdom: 1969-1981

The author reviews 52 personally investigated fatal light aircraft accidents involving 8 professional pilots and 44 private pilots. In 22 of the 52 accidents the presence of any pre-crash defect or malfunction of airframe, engine, or flying controls was definitely excluded. In the opinion of the author there was a "pilot-induced" factor in 35 (69.3%) of the 52 fatal accidents. The author discusses the pilot-induced factors associated with some of these accidents and refers to some of the mechanical defects encountered.     

Toxicological findings in fatal civil aviation accidents, fiscal years 1968-1974.

Toxicological findings in 1,345 fatal general aviation accidents from fiscal year 1968 through 1974 are summarized. Methods used in examination of specimens for alcohol, drugs, carbon monoxide, cyanide, and cholinesterase activity are described. Blood ethanol levels in excess of 0.050% were found in 117 of the 1,345 pilots (8.7%). Drugs were found in 16 cases (1.2%). These and other toxicological findings indicate that in more than 40% of the cases, information worthy of consideration in developing the human-factors history of an accident or the cause of death from survivable crashes was obtained.     

Craniocerebral injuries in traffic accidents with fatal outcomes

Research into crainiocerebral injury (CCI) characteristics of traffic accidents with fatal outcomes, as well as certain types of CCIs and defined categories of traffic participants, has been conducted. The research data were obtained from autopsy protocols at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Serbia. Out of the 202 cases of individuals who had been fatally injured in traffic accidents, CCIs were diagnosed in 82.7% of them. The highest percentage of CCIs was established for front-seat passengers (95%), while for drivers it was 86.2%, pedestrians 78%, and 76% for rear-seat passengers. The domination of males among the deceased was also found, mostly as drivers (92%). The majority of individuals who experienced a CCI were in the age group of 21 to 30 years old, while pedestrians were commonly older than 60. In these cases, a high frequency of skull fractures was usually localized in different cranial regions (67.7%). In the majority of cases with CCIs (81.4%), these injuries contributed to an ultimate fatal outcome, mainly in pedestrians (93%). Fatal and non-fatal CCIs resulting from traffic accidents can result in significant socio-economic consequences for the individual and society as a whole that include specifically the ongoing costs and outcomes in cases from non-fatal injuries.     

Behavioral differences of irradiated persons associated with the Kyshtym, Chelyabinsk, and Chernobyl nuclear accidents.

Three nuclear accidents besides Chernobyl have occurred in the former Soviet Union. The accidents occurred around Kyshtym and Chelyabinsk in the Ural Mountains between 1949 and 1967 and contaminated over one-half million people. The health ministries are now interested in the data previously collected on these irradiated populations in order to examine the health (e.g., psychological, hereditary, genome damage, etc.) implications of long-term radiation exposure.     

Application of radioimmunoassay techniques in support of toxicologic investigations of aircraft accidents.

With the increased emphasis on establishing the presence or absence of drugs associated with aircraft accidents and the fact that fragmentation of tissue may be a problem in investigating these accidents, the need arises for a rapid, sensitive, and specific toxicologic means for detecting drugs that may be present in nanogram concentrations and when only extremely limited quantities of specimens are avialable for study. The use of radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the detection of drugs (e.g., amphetamines, barbiturates, opiates, and methaqualone) in selected aircraft accident cases is presented.     

Cancer incidence in Republic of Bulgaria aircrew, 1964-1994.

BACKGROUND: This study includes all cases of cancer among Republic of Bulgaria Air Force and civil aviation aircrew. Cancer incidence, Standardized Incidence Ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidential intervals were calculated for the pilots, using data about cancer incidence in the same age groups of the male population of the Republic of Bulgaria for the same period of time, taken from the National Cancer Register. RESULTS: The results show a considerable difference in the structure of cancer among males in Bulgaria, as compared to male pilots (r<0.0001). While cancer of the respiratory system has the greatest incidence among the civil population, cancer of the bladder has the greatest incidence among pilots, followed by testicular and skin cancer. For the period under consideration there is a lower risk of malignant diseases in pilots as compared to the rest of the population. There is a higher risk of testicular cancer only in civil aviation pilots. For Air Force aircrew there is a 10-fold higher risk of bladder cancer as compared to the rest of the population. CONCLUSION: We established an interdependence between age and cancer incidence, cancer incidence being higher among pilots in the age group from 20-40 yr. For the remaining age groups, cancer incidence among the civil population is approximately 2.5 times higher. Of the pilots with cancer, 73.53% returned to a flying career after an average of 7 mo treatment.     

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.     

Alcohol and stress in Norwegian United Nations peacekeepers.

Peacekeepers are frequently exposed to dangerous, provoking, or humiliating situations and have limited possibilities to express the resulting anger and frustrations. Self-medication with alcohol and drugs to calm down may result. A representative sample (N = 888) of Norwegian United Nations veterans who served in South Lebanon completed a questionnaire regarding service-related stress and the role of alcohol in stress management. A total of 43.5% of the respondents reported that they had increased their consumption of alcohol during the mission. Overall, only a minority gave reasons such as tension, restlessness, anxiety, and stress to explain the increase. Respondents who had been exposed to the highest levels of stress, however, reported significantly more frequently these potentially pathological reasons for increased drinking. To prevent such outcomes, personnel need to be screened for risk reactions and to be educated in alternative stress management measures. Furthermore, management of both stress and the destructive use of alcohol is clearly a leadership issue.     

Drowning deaths of U.S. Service personnel associated with motor vehicle accidents occurring in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, 2003-2005

OBJECTIVE: We examined common factors in vehicular drowning deaths that might lead to changes in equipment or training. METHODS: Drowning deaths among service members deployed to Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom, 2003 to 2005, were ascertained using the Armed Forces Medical Examiner Tracking System database. Cases were linked to Army and Navy safety and investigative files. RESULTS: Fifty-two cases of vehicular drowning deaths were identified. These occurred mostly at night, were almost always the result of a rollover, and were most frequently associated with a high-mobility medium-weight vehicle. Seat belts were rarely worn, but the majority of injuries should not have been severe enough to affect egress from the vehicle. These drowning deaths seldom occurred while engaged with the enemy and were rarely associated with bad road conditions or bad weather. CONCLUSIONS: Effective preventive strategies might focus on training and equipment to reduce rollover events and on the expeditious extrication of victims.     

Diagnosis and therapy of Hodgkin's disease in Freiburg in Breisgau 1964 to 1976. 2. Results during the treatment period 1972-1976 compared with the period 1964-1971

The total group of patients with Hodgkin's disease submitted to primary treatment from May 1964 till December 1976 is divided with respect to diagnostics and therapy into a preponderantly clinically assessed group (CS) treated during the years of 1964 to 1971 (n = 190) and a preponderantly surgically assessed group (PS) treated during the years of 1972 to 1976 (n = 180). The first subgroup was treated with differently large irradiation fields and, in case of combined therapy, mostly with cyclophosphamide. The second subgroup was treated with extended fields, even until total lymphoid irradiation and, in case of drug administration, with primary combined chemotherapy (MOPP). The overall five-year remission rates of both subgroups (stages I to IV) have improved from 35.4% to 54.8% (P less than or equal to 0.001) and the five-year survival rates from 67.2% to 78.2% (P less than or equal to 0.001). If a complete remission was achieved, this was obtained, as far as judgeable, already at an earlier moment in the individual groups: e.g., in stage I with 95.5% after one year as against 94.1% after five years and in stage II with 91.3% after four years as against 72.9% after seven years. The prognostic differences of stages I and II and the histologic manifestations: lymphocytic predominance, nodular sclerosis, and mixed cellularity were equalized under the therapeutic measures of the intensive treatment period.