Aircraft-Assisted Pilot Suicides in the United States, 1993–2002

Our laboratory was interested in epidemiological and toxicological findings from aircraft-assisted pilot suicides. Between 1993–2002 there were 3,648 fatal aviation accidents. The NTSB determined that 16 were aircraft-assisted suicides; 15 from intentional crashing of an aircraft and 1 from exiting the aircraft while in-flight. All pilots involved in these aircraft-assisted suicides were male, with a median age of 40 years. Seven of the 14 pilots for which specimens were available were positive for disqualifying substances. Based on the few cases conclusively attributed to suicide, death by the intentional crashing of an aircraft appears to be an infrequent and uncommon event.

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