Accidents resulting from medical issues

In recent discussions on accidents, there seems to be an assumption that a common cause is older pilots losing control - perhaps forgetting after fifty years how to do a coordinated turn. I have long suspected that many accidents may have a medical component resulting from the pilot becoming partially or totally incapacitated. Underlying medical issues may not be easy to find in a post mortem where a pilot was still alive on hitting the ground - the resulting trauma might easily conceal underlying issues.

I experienced such an issue a year ago on the third day of the TUSC OLC cross-country event. While doing a low save over rather unfriendly terrain, I suddenly experienced sharp pain and cramps in my left leg that left it almost completely disabled. Fortunately, I was able to return home doing mostly right turns and landed safely. This was caused by a deep-vein thrombosis (blood clot) in the major vein near my left knee.

Such clots are popularly called “coach class syndrome� and are often triggered by positional immobility. You can’t get much more immobile than in a racing glider cockpit! Contributing factors were dehydration, low blood oxygen and an inherited genetic condition that predisposes blood clotting. (This is shared by about 5% of people of European descent). Now properly diagnosed and treated, I am cleared to fly again, but in addition to anti%coagulant medication I take extra precautiions by keeping well hydrated, using oxygen at lower altitudes and limiting the length of my flights.

If the clot had broken and penetrated my lungs (not uncommon) the resulting pulmonary embolism could have been fatal or at least severely disabling. I could easily have ended up as one of the recent accident statistics with more questions than answers.

This is but one example of medical conditions that can overtake anyone, but especially older individuals, and that might lead to loss of control while flying. There are quite a few others too!

Mike