Board Will Discuss The Issue In A September Meeting

At a recent congressional hearing, National Transportation Safety Board Acting Chairman Christopher A. Hart announced that NTSB investigators are completing work on a study on drug use trends in aviation.

"In aviation, our investigators sometimes see evidence of drug use by pilots involved in accidents. So we decided it was time to look at this issue more in depth," said Hart (pictured) in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Government Operations on the federal government's response to marijuana legalization as it pertains to transportation policy. "In September we will meet to discuss drug use in aviation by examining toxicology testing results conducted on fatally injured pilots."

Hart said the study would describe the prevalence of drug use by aviation pilots over time, compare the prevalence of pilot drug use with that of other populations, and evaluate the need for safety improvements related to pilots' use of any drug.

The draft report is expected to be completed in September and considered at a public meeting of the NTSB. Details, including the date and time of the meeting, will be announced later this summer.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov