Role of Aviation Accident Pathology in
Fatal Aircrash Investigation
by
AVM SK Adaval AVSM VSM (Retd)

ABSTRACT

AVIATION ACCIDENT PATHOLOGY
Pathology, in its wider perspective, entails the study of mechanism of suffering and, therefore, Aviation Pathology should technically embrace all aspects of stresses encountered in aviation. However, this will enlarge the scope to such an extent that even studies on adverse effects of heat, vibrations, gravitational forces etc will come under the realms of Aviation Pathology making it too unwieldy. Mason has, therefore, designated this field as ‘Aviation Accident Pathology’ and defined it as “A comprehensive study of aviation fatalities whereby medical history of the individual and findings at autopsy can be correlated with environmental factors, structural or other damage to aircraft and use or abuse of the safety equipment, so that a complete picture of the accident may be formed.”

DEVELOPMENT OF CONCEPT OF AVIATION ACCIDENT PATHOLOGY
It will be interesting to recall that in 1908, Lt. Thomas Selfridge of US Army was killed while flying with one of the famous Wright brothers. Autopsy revealed that death was due to fractured skull. Taking this into account, Lt. Henry Arnold, who was entrusted with further flying wore a football helmet as a precautionary measure. This was the first instance in history of Aviation Pathology that the knowledge gathered by medical investigation was used for preventive purpose.

In the years to come there was no major role played by the medicals in this field, except some sporadic but useful reports by workers like Gilsen, Hass and Teare etc who recommended correlation of injuries with crash factors to suggest preventive measures. However, little was achieved beyond describing and tabulation of the injuries in great details.

Contribution, a Pathologist could make was dramatically demonstrated during the investigation of British Comet disasters over Mediterranean in 1954. As the wreckage of aircraft was not available, investigating doctors inferred from the autops