# Use of medication/drugs - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Physical](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0201) › [Health/Fitness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020130) › Use of medication/drugs - NTSB code: 02013020 - Cases: 73 - In the probable cause: 12 - Fatal cases: 70 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013020/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013020/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013020 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 0 / 6 - 2009: 2 / 7 - 2010: 0 / 3 - 2011: 1 / 5 - 2012: 1 / 4 - 2013: 0 / 4 - 2014: 0 / 7 - 2015: 1 / 8 - 2016: 0 / 13 - 2017: 1 / 7 - 2018: 3 / 3 - 2019: 0 / 1 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2023: 2 / 4 ## Defining events in these cases - [Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240): 28 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 14 cases - [Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241): 7 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 4 cases - [Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220): 3 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 2 cases - [Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230): 2 cases - [Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000): 2 cases - [Simulated/training event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/600): 1 cases - [Loss of lift](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/500): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30): 2 cases - [Mooney M20E](https://openairdocs.org/model/mooney-m20e): 2 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 2 cases - [Air Tractor AT-602](https://openairdocs.org/model/air-tractor-at-602): 2 cases - [Robinson Helicopter R22 BETA](https://openairdocs.org/model/robinson-helicopter-r22-beta): 1 cases - [Hansen Robert C PITTS S2E](https://openairdocs.org/model/hansen-robert-c-pitts-s2e): 1 cases - [Raytheon C90A](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-c90a): 1 cases - [Raytheon 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-58): 1 cases - [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p): 1 cases - [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 38 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 29 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 18 cases - [Altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012) (Aircraft): 15 cases - [Predisposing condition](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02013035) (Personnel issues): 13 cases - [Not determined, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000) (Not determined): 11 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 9 cases - [Mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010) (Environmental issues): 7 cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 6 cases - [Below VFR minima](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035075) (Environmental issues): 6 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB CEN23FA369](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA369), Aug 19, 2023: Piper J5A (N35417), Iola, WI, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane after landing on a grass taxiway with a tailwind, which resulted in a nose over. - [NTSB CEN23FA239](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA239), Jun 14, 2023: Mooney M20R (N1025C), Watertown, WI, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of control due to spatial disorientation while operating in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from the prohibited… - [NTSB CEN23FA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23FA183), May 14, 2023: Robinson R22 Beta (N40506), Brady, TX, incident, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-certificated pilot’s failure to ensure the collective friction control was adequately engaged during an on-ground engine run, which resulted in the helicopter inadvertently becoming airborne.… - [NTSB WPR23LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA112), Feb 16, 2023: Star Lite SL1 (UNREG), Corning, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot’s loss of airplane control during an intentional aerobatic maneuver, which resulted in an inflight separation of the left wing and subsequent impact with the terrain. - [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 WPR19FA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR19FA106), Apr 8, 2019: Tecnam P2002 (N118LS), Santa Fe, NM, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall,… - [NTSB ERA19FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA003), Oct 6, 2018: Piper J3C (N38811), Fancy Gap, VA, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-instrument-rated pilot's improper decision to undertake a flight into forecast instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and his subsequent decision to continue the flight after encountering… - [NTSB CEN18LA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA274), Jul 12, 2018: Cessna 150 (N50183), Lakeview, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s impairment by alcohol and multiple medications, which led to his failure to maintain obstacle clearance during takeoff and the subsequent exceedance of the airplane’s critical… - [NTSB ERA18FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18FA064), Jan 22, 2018: Vans RV-12 (N262WS), Bonita Springs, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's unsafe maneuvering and exceedance of the airplane's operating limitations, which resulted in an in-flight failure of the left wing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's underlying… - [NTSB ANC18FA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC18FA007), Nov 7, 2017: Icon A5 (N922BA), Clearwater, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to perform aggressive, low-altitude maneuvers due to his impairment from the use of multiple psychoactive substances, which resulted in a loss of control. 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.