4,

5

10.

11.

REFERENCES

Lacefield, D.J., P.A. Robert, and C.W. Blossom, 1975. Toxi-
cological Findings in Fatal Civil Aviation Accidents, Fiscal
Years 1968-1974, Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine.
4631036=1932,

Ryan, L.C. and S. R. Mohler. 1972 Intoxicating Liquor and
the General Aviation Pilot in 1971. Aerospace Medicine,
43:1024-1026.

Medical Statistics Section, Aeromedical Certification Branch,
Civil Aeromedical Institute, Federal Aviation Administration,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125.

National Transportation Safety Board, Washington, D.C.

Collins, W.E., R.D. Gilson, D.J. Schroeder, and F.E. Guedry,
1971. Alcohol and Disorientation-~Related Responses. III.
Effects of Alcohol Ingestion on Tracking Performance During
Angular Acceleration. Federal Aviation Administration, Office
of Aviation Medicine Report No. FAA~AM-71-20.

Guedry, F.E.,-dJr., R.D. Gilson, D.J. Schroeder, and W.E. Collins,
1975. Some effects of Alcohol on Various Aspects of Oculo-
motor Control, Aviation Space, and Environmental Medicine.
46:1008-1013.

Billings, C.E., R.L. Wick, R.J. Gerke and R.C. Chase, 1972.
The Effects if Alcohol on Pilot Performance During Instrument
Flight. Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Aviation
Medicine Report No, FAA-AM~72-4,

Parker, E.S. and E.P. Noble, 1977. Post Mortem Blood Alcohol
in General Aviation Pilots. Aviation, Space, and Environmental
Medicine. 48:771-775.

Brown, T.C. and J.C, Lane, 1977.Post-Mortem Blood Alcohol
in Generai Aviation Pilots, Aviation, Space, and Environmental
Medicine. 48:771-775.

Damkot, D.K. and G.A. Osga, 1978. Survey of Pilots' Attitudes
and Opinions About Drinking and Flying. Aviation, Space, and
Environmental Medicine. 49:390:394.

Lacefield, D.J., April 4, 1978. Personal Communication, Aviation
Toxicology Laboratory, Civil Aeromedical Institute, FAA Aero-
nautical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma,

10


a tact at: iia Ml ett al alte

The bottom of Figure 1 gives the percent of fatal
general aviation accidents in which the FAA conducted
toxicological analyses. In 1976, toxicological analysis
was performed on pilots in approximately 60 percent of fatal
general aviation accidents, Ideally, the FAA would like to
obtain autopsies and toxicclogical analyses on all U.S,
civilian pilot victims of fatal aircraft accidents, For
various reasons, this cannot be done. Some accidents are
so destructive that adequate tissue and blood samples are
not available. Tissue contamination may ruin the sample for
toxicological purreses (for example, premature embalming or
microbial action preducing alcohol). [In regard to microbial
alcohol production: Lacefield reports that of the samples
received in his laboratory containing alcohol, about one-
fourth must be discarded beceise they contain microorganisms
shown by culture to have the ability to produce alcohol(11),

Table!. Alcohoi in General Avietion Accidents -

NUMBER
— NUMBER NUMBER. . PLOT WITH
‘Accessicn sor OF FATAL OF. TOXICOLOGY POSITIVE
Wiis cal YEAR ‘ACCIDENTS | FATALITIES OBTAINED ALCOHOL *
Doe TAB 1983 a7 900 136 (29%) 50 (43%)
new.ced 196 516 $0 215 (42%) 82 (39%)
Vaanr su. on 1965 43 1020 222 (86%) 106 (90%)
Jusvitic tion ae 664 1123 347 (62%) 94 (27%)
1987 605 1200 394 (69%) 83 (22%)
1968 713. 1458 444 (65%) 91 (20%)
1980 655 1418 393 (60%! 78 (39%)
1970 628 1293 346 (55%) 61 (18%)
1971 665 1331 (384 (58%) ‘TT (18%)
1972 one 1438 399 (58%) (58 (78%)
1973 77 1396 420 (59%) ‘53(13%)
1974 673 Mo ‘397 (59%) 74 (19%)
1975 oa? 1277 360 (56%) 54 (55%)
1976°° 629 1179 385 (61%) 50 (13%)
°75 mg % Blood Level, or Greetar
. ** As of March 22, 1977
‘Sources: FAA Records

Table I presents data on fatal accidents from 1963 to 1976.
In 1963 there were 477 fatal general aviation accidents with
900 fatalities, The number of fatal accidents increased gradual-
ly until 1968 when the number of fatal accidents reached TM13 .
with 1458 fatalities, Since 1968 the number of total accidents
has averaged 662 (for the years 1969-1976). In 1976 there
were 639 fatal accidents, for which reports had been received
as of March 22, 1977, with 1179 fatalities. Toxicological
analyses were performed on 385 of the fatally involved pilots,
It was found that 50 had positive alcohol levels,

2



. -Figure4. Percent of Pilots Involved
in Accidents with Alcohol as Cause/
Factor in Various Age Groups

:* 7

a

"S at 18

§ 13

2 10

3
and 30 40-49 S059 Gand
below over
Age

Source: NTSB Records

Figure 5. Percent of Pilots Involved
in Accidents with Alcoholas Cause/
Factor with Various Type Pilot Certificate

6-

Percent of pilots
8 8 8 8

Private Com- Asfine Student None Unknown
mercial waneport

Type of certificate
Source: NSB Records



Table ll. Percent of Total Positive
Alcohols at Various Milligram Percent Levels

YEAR LESS THAN = 50-99 100-149 180 OR
50 mg% mg% mg% MORE mg%

1963 32 2 1s 32
1964 od 22 27 2B
1985 a3 19 15 23
1966 47 19 7 7
1967 32 8 22 2B
1968 2 18 8 3%
1989 34 7 16 32
1970 36 20 13 31
1971 30 “ 7 40
1972 47 22 5 26
1973 42 7 15 26
: 1974 m4 19 v7 30
1975 50 13 "1 2
1976° 30 8 20 32

“AS OF MARCH 22, 1977
SOURCE: FAA RECORDS

Table II presents data on the positive alcohol findings in
terms of milligram percent levels. Ina preliminary report in
1972 (cone year after the "8-hour abstinence rule" went into
effect on December 5, 1970), it was reported that the rule
appeared to have diminished the amount of flying on the part
of "social drinkers" but had less effect on the "hard-core"
heavy drinker, the person with an alcohol dependence or
addiction problem(2)., This suggestion was made because in
1971 the relative percent of pilots with positive alcohol levels
above 100 milligrams percent had increased to 63 percent
(lower level of 37 percent). For the 8-year prior period, the
relative percent of pilots above 100 mg% was about 50 percent.
Since 1971, the data show that the lower levels of alcohol have
risen once again to the 50 percent level,

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) establishes
the probable cause of civil aircraft accidents, In order for
an alcohol level to be considered as a cause by the NTSB, their
policy has been that the level must be measured at the 50 mg%
level or higher. Of course, a number of other factors are
also considered before the cause/factors are established,

For the years 1969-1975 the Nationai Transportation Safety
Board listed alcohol as a cause/factor for 297 accidents, 258
of which were fatal(4). In a review of the National Transportation
Safety Board briefs of accidents involving alcohol as a cause



Table ll. Percent of Total Positive
Alcohols at Various Milligram Percent Levels

YEAR LESS THAN 50-9 100-149 150 OR
50 mg% mg% mg% MORE mg%

1963 32 21 1s 32
1964 a 22 27 2
1965 Bx] 139 15 23
1966 a7 19 7 7
1967 32 8 22 2
1968 2 18 18 KJ
1969 “4 7 16 32
1970 36 20 13 31
1971 30 4 7 40
1972 - a7 22 5 2
1973 42 7 15 26
1974 Ka 19 7 30
1975 50 13 Ww 4
1976° 30 18 20 32

*AS OF MARCH 22, 1977
SOURCE: FAA RECORDS

Table II presents data on the positive alcohol findings in
terms of milligram percent levels. Ina preliminary report in
1972 (one year after the "8-hour abstinence rule" went into
effect on December 5, 1970), it was reported that the rule
appeared to have diminished the amount of flying on the part
of "social drinkers" but had less effect on the “hard-core”
heavy drinker, the person with an alcohol dependence or
addiction problem(2), This suggestion was made because in
1971 the relative percent of pilots with positive alcohol levels
above 100 milligrams percent had increased to 63 percent
(lower level of 37 percent), For the 8-year prior period, the
relative percent of pilots above 100 mg% was about 50 percent.
Since 1971, the data show that the lower levels of alcohol have
risen once again to the 50 percent level,

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) establishes
the probable cause of civil aircraft accidents. In order for -
an alcohol level to be considered as a cause by the NTSB, their
policy has been that the level must be measured at the 50 mg%
level or higher, Of course, a number of other factors are
also considered before the cause/factors are established,

For the years 1969-1975 the Nationai Transportation Safety
Board listed alcohol as a cause/factor for 297 accidents, 258
of which were fatal(4). In a review of the National Transportation
Safety Board briefs of accidents involving alcohol as a cause



The time of day of NTSB-reported alcchol-associated
accidents is shown in Figure 2. Most ef the accidents
occurred between 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight. (71.5%), with
39% occurring between 6:00 p.m. and midnight. Only 9%
of the accidents occurred between 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
The accidents were distributed throughout the year with
slightly smaller proportions occurring from November through

January (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Percent of Accidents with
Alcohol as Cause/Factor Occurring in Each Month

4
L 12 12

% of accidents

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
Month
Source: NTSB Records

The phase of flight during which the accidents occurred
is shown in Table IV. As seen in the Table, the alcohol accidents
occurred in all phases of flight. The "other" category includes
all operations that are not listed including grcund operations
and unknown operations, A review of the ages of the pilots
involved in these accidents reveals that 63% of them were
between the ages 30 and 50 (See Figure 4), Figure 5 shows the
type of pilot certificate. Most of the pilots held a private
pilot certificate (51%), 24% held a commercial certificate,
17% held a student certificate, 3% had an airline transport
certificate, with 1% unknown. Of the pilots that held a private
pilot certificate, only 7% were instrument rated, Of those
holding a commercial certificate, almost half, 48%, were instru-

ment rated.



aTM
‘'C

| LEVEL”

FAA-AM-~65-4

THE CURRENT ROLE OF ALCOHOL AS
A FACTOR IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS

Leonard C. Ryan
Stanley R. Mohler®
Office of Aviation Medicine
800 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20591

*Department of Community Medicine
Wright State University, School of Medicine
Dayton, Ohio 45401

AA086261

Y,

MAY 1980

Document is available to the public through the
National Technical Information Service,
Springfield, Virginia 22161

Prepared for .
_ U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Office of Aviation Medicine
Washington, D.C. 206591

DDE Fite cop

80 6 30 164



Discussion

A number of studies have demonstrated the adverse effects
of alcohol on psychosensory and psychomotor functions. For
example, although Collins and co-workers have shown that
eye-hand coordination reveals little or no impai~ment following
alcohol ingestion in static situations, marked degradation
occurs during motion when the blood alcohol levels are in the
25 mg% range(5,6), Alcohol and darkness together produced
€ven more pronounced impairments. The results indicate that
even one ounce of an alcoholic drink consumed immediately
prior to or during flight can -be unsafe, The above laboratory
findings are supportive of the finding that 55 percent of the
alcohol-associated accidents cccurred between 6:06 pem. and
6:00 a.m. for the y.ars 1969-1975, ~

Billings and co-workers studied the effects of alcohol
on pilot performance during instrument flight under actual
flight conditions(7). They used pilots under alcohol influence
at 40, 80, and 120 mg% blood levels. . The subjects showed
significant ‘ecrements.of perfomrance at all of the levels,
Both experienced and inexperienced pilot exhibited progressive
increases in the number and seriousness of procedural errors
with increasing levels of alcohol. The report concludes
"that even 40 mg% of blood alcohol exerts decremental effects
on performance which are incompatible with flight safety."

A publication by Parker and Noble reports that when social
drinking amounts of alcohol are ingested there are decrements
in adaptive abilities, concept formation, and capacity to
shift from one idea to another(8}. These effects would definite-
ly be adverse to safe pilot performance.

Brown and Lane have reported post-mortem blood alcohol
levels associated with fatal general aviation accidents in Augs-
tralia, 1962-1975(9), Their results reveal that 18% of the pilots
involved in fatal aircraft. accidents had positive blood
alcohol levels, a finding remarkably close to FAA data in the
period since 1969. A recent U.S. survey on general aviation
pilot attitude toward alcohol and flying, finds that "27-32%
of the respondents considered flying after drinking, within
a time period which would result in a 15 mg% blood alcohol
level or higher, to be safe behavior(10)."

Conclusions

Alcohol-associated general aviation fatal accidents have
plateaued since 1969 at the 16% level, according to FAA records
(15 mg% or higher blood level). A recent survey indicates that
about one-third of general aivation pilots considered flying
after drinking, within a time period which would result in a
15 mg% blood alcohol level or higher, to be safe behavior. In

8



Table IV. Percent of Accidents with Alcohol as
Cause/Factor at Various Phases of Flight 1969-1975*

Climb _ {Cruise | Descending [Landing Pass | Acrobstics| Buzzing | Application| Other

75 (2ay**| 13 (40) 17 (61) 16 (46) 13 (23)} 7 (20) 85 (25) 30) (20)

Source: NTSB Records
(= Number of Pilots

Since such a large percent of the piltos involved in the
accidents where alcohol was a cause/factor had no instrument
rating, the total flight time of each was examined to determine
if the pilots involved were relatively inexperienced, Figure
6 shows the results of the examination, Sixty-three percent
of the pilots had flown more than 150 hours and 41% had flown
over 500 hours. Only 10% had flown less than 50 hours.

Figure 6. Total Flight Time of
Pilots Involved in Accidents with
Alcohoi as Cause/Factor 1969-1975

41

Percent of pilots
8 8

3

Sand S10 «151 to S01 and Unknown
below = 150 00 up

Hours

‘Source: NTS8 Records



or factor for these ears, it was found that 79% of the
pilots were flying for pleasure or personal transportation
(Table III). The next single largest purpose was for
business, 5%. Under "other" are included fire fighting,
hunting, test, air show, racing and unknown. This category
accounted for 5%.

Table II. Percent of Accidents with Alcohol as
Cause/Factor for Various Flight Purposes 1969-7975*

Pleesure/ Search
Personal and Aerial Instructional/
Transportation | Rescue | Application Practice

~ VIZ ee 1 ac) 45 (14) 5 (16 26 | 45a

# Source: NTSB Records
‘#*( )= Number of Pilots

Figure2. Percant of Accidents
with Alcohol as Cauze/Factor
Occurring at Various Times of Day

7201 am 601 emt 220% BOL ems -
10.600 am 1200 noon 0640 pm to 1200
as

Time of Day



THE CURRENT ROLE OF ALCOHOL AS A FACTOR IN CIVIL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS

Introduction.

The effects of alcohol on pilot flight performance
continues as a major safety concern. The Federal Aviation
Administration has conducted toxicological studies on the
remains of crew members involved in fatal civil aviation
accidents since 1963. Lacefield and co-workers, in a pub-
lication on toxicological findings in fatal civil aviation
accidents for 1969-1974, reported toxicological analyses on
1,345 accidents having 2,635 victims(1). This report states:
"Findings worthy of consideration in developing the human
factors history of an accident were found in 588 cases (44%).
Alcohol was found in 359 victims (26.7%), 262 of which were
pilots (19.5%)." Further, "by far the largest number of
positive findings involve alcohol." This Paper presents an
analysis of alcohol-associated fatal accidents occurring in
general aviation through 1976.

Resuits:

Prior reports have shown significant alcohol ‘involvement et
in fatal civil aircraft accidents. Since ‘the report of rene
Harper and Albers in 1963, revealing a 43 percent association a}
of fatal civil aircraft accidents with alcohol, a steady :
decline to 19 percent occurred through 1969. Since 1969 the
level of alcohol-associated accidents has remained relatively
static at the 16 percent level(3). Figure 1 shows the trend
in general aviation fatal accidents from 1963 through 1976.

Figure 1. General Aviation Fatal Accidents





Technica! Report Documentotion Page

ient’s Catalog No.

2. Government Accession No.

AD-fAORG 261
a
AAM

——— 8. Pertorming Organizotion Roport No.
Stanley R .{Mohler

Tr a

FAA-An-0f-4

bistle.

2
“current Role of Alcohol as a
Factor in Civil Aircraft Accidents 4

agate a NA SR

lation Code

tht Sa

Addo.

Office of Aviation Medicine

Federal Aviation Administration

800 Independence Avenue. S.W.
0591

0.

Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

+ Contract or Grant No.

|. Type of Report and Period Covered

32. Sponsoring Agecy Name and Address
Office of Aviation Medicine
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20591

15. Supplementary Notes

\

Ethyl alcohcl continues as a serious adverse factor in general
aviation flight safety. According to FAA figures, the level of
alcohol-associated general aviation fatal accidents has remained
relatively static at a 16% general level since 1969. A recent
survey of the attitudes of pilots toward alcohol and fiying
reveals a lack of appreciation among one-third of the pilots
concerning the adverse effects of alcohel on safe flight. A
renewed pilot education program on alcohol and flight safety
appears indicated.

4

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FAA

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for its content or use thereof.



the protracted association of alcohol and

2 accidents, is appears that an intensified

of ‘prograr concerning the adverse effects of
amcunts of eaicohol on safe flight is now warranted.

PE aT ee er ae