# Prescription medication - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Physical](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0201) › [Impairment/incapacitation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020120) › Prescription medication - NTSB code: 02012025 - Cases: 77 - In the probable cause: 65 - Fatal cases: 71 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012025/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012025/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012025 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 4 / 6 - 2009: 5 / 5 - 2010: 6 / 7 - 2011: 4 / 5 - 2012: 6 / 6 - 2013: 1 / 3 - 2014: 4 / 6 - 2015: 7 / 8 - 2016: 6 / 7 - 2017: 7 / 7 - 2018: 2 / 2 - 2019: 3 / 4 - 2020: 1 / 1 - 2021: 3 / 4 - 2022: 2 / 2 - 2023: 1 / 1 - 2024: 3 / 3 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 36 cases - [Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341): 4 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 4 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 4 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 4 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 3 cases - [Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270): 3 cases - [Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330): 2 cases - [Midair collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/250): 2 cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 2 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Beech C35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c35): 3 cases - [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250): 2 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 2 cases - [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q): 2 cases - [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a): 2 cases - [Taylorcraft DCO-65](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-dco-65): 1 cases - [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2): 1 cases - [Short Brothers S312 TUCANO T MK1](https://openairdocs.org/model/short-brothers-s312-tucano-t-mk1): 1 cases - [Briegleb BG-12B](https://openairdocs.org/model/briegleb-bg-12b): 1 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R66](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r66): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 42 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 33 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 14 cases - [Alcohol](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012015) (Personnel issues): 13 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 13 cases - [Illicit drug](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012020) (Personnel issues): 10 cases - [Angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042) (Aircraft): 10 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 9 cases - [OTC medication](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02012030) (Personnel issues): 8 cases - [Spatial disorientation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022025) (Personnel issues): 6 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB WPR24FA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA104), Mar 7, 2024: Kolb Firestar KXP (N4443G), Cave Junction, OR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a turn, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of potentially impairing… - [NTSB WPR24FA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA080), Jan 30, 2024: Swanson R/Swanson S RV-6 (N30AK), Concord, CA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power during takeoff due to a separated fuel line and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain control of the airplane. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's medical… - [NTSB ERA24FA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA088), Jan 14, 2024: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (N7345R), Leyden, MA, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a stall, which resulted in an inadvertent spin from which the airplane was not recovered. Contributing to the accident were the… - [NTSB CEN23FA258](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA258), Jun 26, 2023: Cessna 177 (N3138T), Hot Springs, AR, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper preflight fuel planning and inflight fuel mismanagement, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate… - [NTSB CEN23FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA050), Nov 28, 2022: Cessna 170 (N2710D), Gage, OK, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The non-certificated pilots’ loss of airplane control, resulting in an impact with terrain during final approach. Contributing to the accident was the airplane owner’s impairment due to his use of… - [NTSB ERA22FA422](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA422), Sep 17, 2022: Wren Ronnie D Titan II (N709RD), Citra, FL, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and failure to maintain airspeed while recovering from an aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of… - [NTSB CEN21FA334](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21FA334), Jul 25, 2021: Air Tractor AT-802 (N363BG), Benoit, MS, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s takeoff performance capabilities and his failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment due to his… - [NTSB WPR21FA233](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA233), Jun 20, 2021: Piper PA-22-135 (N2618A), White City, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment due to his medical… - [NTSB ERA21LA171](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA171), Apr 3, 2021: Robinson Helicopter R66 (N577DD), Palmyra, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper judgment to attempt a flight while impaired by medications, which resulted in the helicopter’s abnormal ground contact, loss of control, and collision with terrain. - [NTSB CEN21LA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA107), Jan 4, 2021: Hawker Beechcraft G58 (N325GC), Credit, AR, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an emergency descent with one engine inoperative and inadvertent collision with transmission lines. Contributing to the… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.