Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Suicide by aircraft: a case report

Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine

|May 1, 1977

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This case study highlights unrecognized depression in a pilot whose behavior changes were misinterpreted. Early recognition of depression by flight surgeons is crucial for preventing aircraft accidents.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The impact of egg handling and storage temperature on shell eggs stored for 27 weeks: Egg quality.

Poultry science·2025

Same author

Environmental sampling methods' influence on detection of pathogens in cage-free aviary housing.

Poultry science·2022

Same author

Prognosis after neoadjuvant chemoradiation or chemotherapy for locally advanced gastro-oesophageal junctional adenocarcinoma.

The British journal of surgery·2021

Same author

Rational design, synthesis and testing of novel tricyclic topoisomerase inhibitors for the treatment of bacterial infections part 1.

RSC medicinal chemistry·2021

Same author

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. aizawai generalized transducing phage 4HD248 : restriction site map and potential for fine-structure chromosomal mapping.

Microbiology (Reading, England)·2021

Same author

Laying hen production and welfare in enriched colony cages at different stocking densities.

Poultry science·2019

Same journal

Goodbye to ASEM.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

Same journal

AsMA - a worldwide organization.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

Same journal

This month in aerospace medicine history.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

Same journal

You're the flight surgeon: hypogonadism.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

Same journal

You're the flight surgeon: fatigue.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

Same journal

Manned-unmanned teaming: expanding the envelope of UAS operational employment.

Aviation, space, and environmental medicine·2014

See all related articles

Area of Science:

Aviation Psychology
Aerospace Medicine
Psychiatry

Background:

Pilot behavior changes can be misattributed, masking underlying psychological distress.
Aircraft accident investigations benefit from psychological autopsies to understand causal factors.
Subintentional suicidal behavior presents unique challenges in psychiatric diagnosis and prevention.

Observation:

A 36-year-old pilot engaged in an unauthorized flight culminating in a crash.
Retrospective analysis suggested unrecognized depression and manipulative traits.
Behavioral withdrawal was incorrectly perceived as a return to normalcy.

Findings:

Psychological autopsy provided presumptive evidence of depression.
Misinterpretation of behavioral changes obscured the pilot's mental state.

Related Experiment Videos

The case underscores the importance of accurate psychiatric assessment in aviation.

Implications:

Flight surgeons play a vital role in early depression detection to prevent aviation incidents.
Understanding anniversary reactions and psychiatric diagnosis aids in accident investigation.
Further research into subintentional suicide and pilot mental health is warranted.