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A recent study by the United States National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB) has identified a concerning increase in the presence of drugs when testing fatally injured pilots. The study shows that close to a third of all pilots tested had potentially impairing drugs in their system while flying.
Earlier this week, the NTSB published its latest Update to Drug Use Trends in Aviation, which shows incidents between 2018 and 2022, and claims that at least 52% of all fatally injured pilots had tested positive for at least one drug, and 27% were positive for at least two drug types.
Almost A Third Of All Pilots Tested Were On Impairing Drugs
The results show that the most frequently used drugs included cardiovascular medications or sedating antihistamines, cholesterol-lowering, or prostate or erectile dysfunction drugs, along with over-the-counter drugs and illicit drugs. The most concerning figure is the 28.6% of all pilots who were tested and had been under the influence of drugs that could cause impairment.
Impairing drugs include sedating antihistamine medication, which is diphenhydramine, in all studies conducted between 1990 and 2017. The use of illicit drugs has increased to over 7%, which has been primarily increased by THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive chemical in marijuana.
|
Figure (%) |
Positive Test Results |
|---|---|
|
52.8% |
For at least one drug type |
|
27.7% |
For at least two drug types |
|
28.6% |
For sedating drugs |
|
7.4% |
Related to the use of THC (Marijuana) |
During the study between 2018 and 2022, it was shown that a total of 984 flying pilots had been fatally injured in aviation incidents across the United States, of which 930 pilots, who accounted for 94.5% of all those tested, were included in this study.
NTSB Shows That 52.8% Of All Pilots Tested Positive
In the full report published by the NTSB, it showed that this continued upward trend shows that at least half of all pilots who were fatally injured from aviation incidents tested positive for drugs, while 27% tested positive for two. The study showed that, through toxicology testing of pilots injured, the prevalence was lower among pilots in Part 135 (on-demand, unscheduled air service) operations when compared to general aviation.
The pilot age, certification level, and type of operations all influenced these results, and were lower among those pilots who held active medical certificates or those holding airline transport and commercial pilot certificates. The results were substantially higher for those who were private pilots, or sport, student, or had no certificate at all. Full data in the table below:
As specified in the report, it stressed that while the presence of drugs in toxicology testing does not necessarily mean that there was pilot impairment, it does identify that the use of drugs has increased, and provides further context for trends in drug detection and other influencing factors that affect safety in aviation.
American Airlines Hit With $255K FAA Penalty After Drug-Positive Crew Cleared To Fly
AA is getting hit in the FAA crackdown.
Influences Of Drug Use In Aviation
While it is common for pilots to take legal medications to manage personal underlying health conditions or ailments, such as colds, pain, allergies, and mental health, many of these over-the-counter or prescribed medications can have the potential to cause some level of impairment. The most common of these can cause drowsiness, leading to less cognitive awareness.
Due to irregular schedules and pilots required to fly across multiple time zones, this can see pilots use sleeping aids or sedatives when in new time zones or during layovers. On the contrary, stimulants to combat exhaustion or alertness may be consumed for long-haul or overnight operations. Illicit and recreational substance use could be influenced by the high pressure of being a pilot and the demands that are required as part of the role. Substance use could be influenced by career stress or other mental health issues.
Regardless, any drug taken can alter the pilot’s mood, coordination, or alertness and can compromise flight safety. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strictly regulates any medication use, and as a result, pilots are subject to random drug testing and medical evaluations to ensure they remain fit to fly.
