Toxicological Findings in Federal Aviation Administration General Aviation Accidents
Kuhlman Jr, JJ
Major, U.S. Air Force and deputy chief toxicologist, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC.

Levine, B
Chief toxicologist, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC.

Smith, ML
Lieutenant colonel, U.S. Army and chief of Division of Forensic Toxicology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC.

Hordinsky, JR
Manager of Aeromedical Research Div., Civil Aeromedical Institute, Federal Aviation Administration, Oklahoma City, OK.


Abstract
Blood, urine, and tissue specimens were received from 377 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation fatalities during fiscal year 1989. Carbon monoxide at less than 10% saturation was found in 94% of the cases, and cyanide at less than 0.5 mg/L was found in 96% of the cases. Ethanol at greater than 10 mg/dL was found in 14.8% of the cases, but only 4.5% were determined to be due to ethanol ingestion from toxicological findings. Excluding nicotine and ethanol, 12.6% of the cases were positive for one or more drugs. Acetaminophen and salicylate were the most frequently found drugs. Cannabinoids were found in 1.3% of the cases and benzoylecgonine in 1.6%. There was minimal use of therapeutic drugs that cause central nervous system depression or stimulation. These results show no consistent pattern of drug involvement in civilian aviation fatalities.

Keywords:
aircraft, aviation fatalities, death, drug identification, forensic science, toxicology

Paper ID: JFS364911121

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.
Author Kuhlman JJ, Jr, Levine B, Smith ML, Hordinsky JR Title Toxicological Findings in Federal Aviation Administration General Aviation Accidents Symposium , Committee on