Fatal Aircraft Accidents : A Pathologists Notebook

Contents: Preface. I. Pathology: 1. Development of the concept of aviation accident pathology. 2. Aviation accident pathology and the pathologist. 3. Autopsy. 4. Injury analysis and recurring themes of injury. 5. Investigation of airline disasters in India and abroad. 6. Investigation in cases of birdstrike. 7. The role of histopathology in fatal air-crash investigation. 8. Collection and storage of specimens. 9. Autopsy equipment. 10. Some instances. II. Applied toxicology: 1. Toxic hazards in aircraft. 2. Carbon monoxide and aviation. 3. Alcohol and aviation. 4. Problems of drug detection by routine and specialised techniques. References. Index.

"This book highlights aspects of aviation accident pathology for doctors involved in the investigation of fatal aircraft accidents. A determination of the cause of the accident requires investigations of both the machine and the bodies that are found in the wreckage. In many developing countries, however, the doctors who are assigned this task are not trained to perform such autopsies. They are, therefore, confronted with problems such as \'how do we proceed\' and \'what should we look for\'. This book provides clear guidelines regarding the practical aspects of such investigations. It begins with a historic overview of the development of aviation accident pathology and then identifies the administrative and forensic requirements that can facilitate accident investigations. A specific plan of investigation that includes details about the preparations that must be made prior to the arrival at the accident site, tasks that need to be performed at the site and the procedures for the collection and analysis of evidence and specimens is provided." (jacket)