- NTSB held summit on mental health in aviation in DC on Wednesday
- Pilots said fear of being grounded led them to lie about mental health problems
- In October, off-duty pilot tried to crash plane in mushroom-fueled meltdown
Commercial airline pilots often feel pressured to lie about mental health issues for fear of being grounded, federal regulators heard at a summit this week.
The National Transportation Safety Board hosted the summit meeting on mental health in aviation on Wednesday in Washington DC, inviting pilots, flight attendants and industry experts.
‘It’s somewhat of an open secret that current rules incentivize people to either lie about their medical history when it comes to mental health or avoid seeking help in the first place,’ NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in her opening remarks.
The roundtable came amid heightened concerns after off-duty pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, allegedly tried to shut down the engines of an Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight on October 22.
Emerson says he was in a stupor from taking hallucinogenic mushrooms two days earlier, and on Thursday pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless endangerment, after prosecutors dropped attempted murder charges.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy (above) hosted the summit meeting on mental health in aviation on Wednesday in Washington DC
he roundtable came amid heightened concerns after off-duty pilot Joseph David Emerson, 44, allegedly tried to shut down the engines of an Alaska Airlines jet
Commercial airline pilots are required to disclose any physical and psychological conditions, as well as any medications they may be taking, to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Many pilots, as well as air traffic controllers, have said that they hide mental struggles and avoid seeking out needed medications to avoid losing their jobs.
‘We hear from the FAA only about 0.1% of medical certificate applicants who disclose a health issue are denied,’ Homendy said at the session, according to a published copy of her remarks.
‘First of all, we know mental health issues are underreported; it’s the whole reason we’re hosting this event,’ she added.
A study published last year in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that more than 56 percent of US pilots avoid seeking medical treatment out of fear of losing their jobs.
‘In aviation, you are, in effect, punished for following the rules around disclosure. This creates a perverse incentive and I’m very concerned about the safety consequences,’ said Homendy.
‘Those who do report the use of medication are sidelined for no less than 6 months; those who seek professional counseling can be caught in a frustrating maze of bureaucracy to get back to work.’
Commercial airline pilots often feel pressured to lie about mental health issues for fear of being grounded, federal regulators heard at the summit
Commercial airline pilots are required to disclose any physical and psychological conditions, as well as any medications they may be taking, to the FAA (file photo)
At the forum, United Airlines First Officer Troy Merritt told how he voluntarily grounded himself a year ago for anxiety and depression treatment, according to CBS News.
He said that despite taking FAA-approved medication, he could be out of work for another year before regulators allow him to fly again.
‘Had the barriers that are in place today not been there, I know I would’ve sought treatment earlier,’ he said.
On Thursday, Emmerson, the pilot accused of attempting to crash an Alaska Airlines flight, pleaded not guilty to 83 counts of reckless endangerment.
The pilot and father-of-two was arraigned in Multnomah County Court in Portland, Oregon, where he denied 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft.
After a not-guilty plea was entered, a judge approved his release from custody as he posted a $50,000 bond, which came with the condition to not come within 30 feet of any aircraft.
He is next scheduled to be back in court on January 19.