Durango P-51 Crash - Med Tests Show Pilot Was Stoned on Marijuana

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FlyingElvii

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"the Durango pilot who crashed a World War II aircraft on July 4, 2014 had marijuana levels above the legal limit in his blood.

According to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board, John Earley’s blood tested positive for 6.3 nanograms of THC, above Colorado’s legal driving limit of 5 nanograms, The Durango Herald says"

http://fox21news.com/2016/07/31/report-says-pilot-who-crashed-wwii-aircraft-had-marijuana-in-system/

Stupid, stupid, stupid...
Rack up two more deaths attributable to Colorado's Pot Legalization laws...
 
FlyingElvii said:
"the Durango pilot who crashed a World War II aircraft on July 4, 2014 had marijuana levels above the legal limit in his blood.

According to the report by the National Transportation Safety Board, John Earley’s blood tested positive for 6.3 nanograms of THC, above Colorado’s legal driving limit of 5 nanograms, The Durango Herald says"

http://fox21news.com/2016/07/31/report-says-pilot-who-crashed-wwii-aircraft-had-marijuana-in-system/

Stupid, stupid, stupid...
Rack up two more deaths attributable to Colorado's Pot Legalization laws...
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So your theory is had Colorado not legalized marijuana he would not have used? :rolleyes:
 
always gotta find someone else to blame.......there's only 1 person who CHOSE to shmoke the doobage then fly, legal or not legal.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Is there any evidence that his abilities were compromised because of this drug or is it an assumption?
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That.

Before I jump on the Puritan bandwagon, how stoned is 5 nanograms in a dude of the pilots size?
 
James331 said:
That.

Before I jump on the Puritan bandwagon, how stoned is 5 nanograms in a dude of the pilots size?
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I would also point out they said that's the legal limit for driving. Just like .08 is the limit on alcohol for cars, but it's a lower limit for aviation.
 
EppyGA said:
So your theory is had Colorado not legalized marijuana he would not have used? :rolleyes:
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Unknown, but Colorado enabled it. We now have one less beautiful airplane that isn't being made anymore. I'm sorry for his family.
 
MadseasoN said:
Is this one of those "high functioning" MJ users I always hear about? LOL
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Yup, harmless, 'just a plant'. Makes people smarter and improves decision making.

That said, 6.3 is not much. Either a regular user with a baseline level or use the night before.
 
weilke said:
Yup, harmless, 'just a plant'. Makes people smarter and improves decision making.
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Yeah, heard that argument when I was in high school from individuals who have not done well in life so my personal evidence would seem to contradict that. You were being sarcastic though right?

Not against smoking weed as a recreational thing though.
 
bflynn said:
Unknown, but Colorado enabled it. We now have one less beautiful airplane that isn't being made anymore. I'm sorry for his family.
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We could say you enabled it, and it would have just as much truth as your statement. Colorado has done nothing to allow pilots to lawfully pilot an aircraft while using marijuana.
 
The last time I checked, states cannot override federal regulations. Driving is regulated by the state. Flying is regulated by the fed.
 
KFD said:
Yeah, heard that argument when I was in high school from individuals who have not done well in life so my personal evidence would seem to contradict that. You were being sarcastic though right?
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Correct. Those individuals also tend to attribute their failure in life to external factors, not their own doing.
 
Lachlan said:
We could say you enabled it, and it would have just as much truth as your statement. Colorado has done nothing to allow pilots to lawfully pilot an aircraft while using marijuana.
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They made the marijuana readily available. You walk in to a shop, show an ID and fork over the money.
 
KFD said:
Yeah, heard that argument when I was in high school from individuals who have not done well in life so my personal evidence would seem to contradict that. You were being sarcastic though right?

Not against smoking weed as a recreational thing though.
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I can also point out some VERY successful folks who smoke, remember it's became illegal for race and political reasons, not based on any hard logic. Booze is WAAAY worse.

Ofcourse don't fly impaired.
 
bflynn said:
They made the marijuana readily available. You walk in to a shop, show an ID and fork over the money.
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No. No, I don't. Your statement makes it sound as though you think it must be difficult to obtain your weed outside of the few states that allow its sale. Colorado is no more responsible for this airplane crash than North Carolina is for inbreeding. Well, let's rethink that...
 
There is also a lot of debate if THC in the blood has a direct correlation to being high. Heavy users can show up on blood tests as above the limit when they have not smoked in a week. An actual sobriety function test seems to be a better indicator, but it is hard to give cops enough training to administer and interpret one well.

Since I live in Colorado, and for a lot more reasons that just flying, I have decided the best course of action is to just ignore the fact that is it semi-legal.
 
Go look at the pilot history section of the NTSB report. This dude had more money than brains. Sad that the CFI wasn't able to intervene and stop it.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Go look at the pilot history section of the NTSB report. This dude had more money than brains. Sad that the CFI wasn't able to intervene and stop it.
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Was his pal flying with him? Or was it a CFI? which was it? this fellow was retired president of Sikorsky helicopter. No dummy by a long shot.
 
weilke said:
Yup, harmless, 'just a plant'. Makes people smarter and improves decision making.

That said, 6.3 is not much. Either a regular user with a baseline level or use the night before.
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weilke said:
Correct. Those individuals also tend to attribute their failure in life to external factors, not their own doing.
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I just love your over generalized BS statements.

I think it was Winston Churchill who said something like "alcohol makes a great slave but a terrible master."

Similarly, there's a huge difference between someone who takes a hit off of a joint on a rare occasion, recreationally, and someone who fires up a bong at 10am every day.

I was once in upper management of a (then) fortune 1000 company. They're now a Fortune 500 company. Almost every member of upper mgmt smoked pot. Hell, there were lines of coke on the table at company parties.

But they were all some of the most hard working SOB's you've ever met.

Me? Hell no! There was no way I would indulge in front of people I reported to even on the off chance that I might have on my own time.

I guarantee you that 90% of the people that were at these parties 20 years ago are now multi-millionaires.

You?
 
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bflynn said:
They made the marijuana readily available. You walk in to a shop, show an ID and fork over the money.
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Which requires the very specific action of driving to one, walking in the front door, and buying it. The stores are infinitely easy to ignore.

timwinters said:
I think it was Winston Churchill who said something like "alcohol makes a great slave but a terrible master."
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The guy who got a "doctor's prescription" for alcohol at whatever quantity he wanted while he visited the US diplomatically during Prohibition... Because he couldn't survive the visit without a drink.
 
bflynn said:
They made the marijuana readily available. You walk in to a shop, show an ID and fork over the money.
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You could say the same thing about people who fly after drinking alcohol. Should it be illegal?

Legalization had nothing to do with this accident. It isn't even clear whether or not the marijuana was a factor, but even if it was, it was the pilot's decision to use. He wasn't forced by the fact that it is legal in Colorado.
 
http://generalaviationnews.com/2016/03/25/drunk-pilot-dies-in-crash/

Directly attributed to the repeal of prohibition. If it were still illegal this guy would be alive today. As it is, he could just waltz into a store, show ID, shove a few dollars across a counter, and walk right out! Shelves and shelves full of it, store after store. No cops, nothing, just walk out with booze.

thanks lushes.
 
timwinters said:
I just love your over generalized BS statements.

I think it was Winston Churchill who said something like "alcohol makes a great slave but a terrible master."

Similarly, there's a huge difference between someone who takes a hit off of a joint on a rare occasion, recreationally, and someone who fires up a bong at 10am every day.

I was once in upper management of a (then) fortune 1000 company. They're now a Fortune 500 company. Almost every member of upper mgmt smoked pot. Hell, there were lines of coke on the table at company parties.

But they were all some of the most hard working SOB's you've ever met.

Me? Hell no! There was no way I would indulge in front of people I reported to even on the off chance that I would have on my own time.

I guarantee you that 90% of the people that were at these parties 20 years ago are now multi-millionaires.

You?
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Cool story bro. You disproved my anecdote and generalization using your anecdote and generalization. 10 internets to you.
 
Everskyward said:
You could say the same thing about people who fly after drinking alcohol. Should it be illegal?

Legalization had nothing to do with this accident. It isn't even clear whether or not the marijuana was a factor, but even if it was, it was the pilot's decision to use. He wasn't forced by the fact that it is legal in Colorado.
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Legalization made getting the pot easier. That is the only point I made about this.

Are drunk pilots enabled by the easy availability of alcohol? Yup, they are too.

Neither pilot was forced to do anything.
 
I am not a pot smoker, but I dare say that legalizing pot hasn't made it easier to get, it's just more respectable to buy it in a store than from the neighborhood dealer. Is it worse than alcohol, I don't know for sure, but I would say more people are killed by alcohol than pot every year.
 
bflynn said:
Legalization made getting the pot easier. That is the only point I made about this.

Are drunk pilots enabled by the easy availability of alcohol? Yup, they are too.

Neither pilot was forced to do anything.
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One could argue that it is just about as easy to buy weed in most other states. Easier even... you don't even half to have ID
 
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