I haven't seen this posted, so if it has been, my apologies. It just shows you that anyone, I guess, can be a victim of a drug overdose.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/03/ ... -overdose/

Found by a child, just heart breaking.

Unbelievable irresponsibility!
And on top of that, leaving four kids behind...

It's sad they loss their life's but I feel really sorry for their kids.

One of the biggest myths is that all pilots are super beings and above all evil. Unfortunately they are just people like anyone else. They have all the attributes good and bad and over the long run a small % are like this. I am just glad this happened in their personal lives and not professional.

I would presume they were using such drugs for a long time, so why didn't they catch him in a physical or if he had behavior among his fellow pilots that might have suggested drug use ?

The wife had a history with drugs even a cover up conviction . Her, two children's father died of a drug overdose. Now she's made them parentless. His two children were picked up by his ex-wife at the scene. Sounds like the wife's mother was an enabler. She knew they were probably partying by the way they were acting, but did nothing but get a sick feeling inside. Also she wants everybody to know that her daughter was not a low-life and was very well liked.

I sure hope she's not the one who's going to raise her parentless grandchildren.

i agree with what someone else wrote at least he O.D. at home, instead of in the air.

NIKV69 wrote:

One of the biggest myths is that all pilots are super beings and above all evil. Unfortunately they are just people like anyone else. They have all the attributes good and bad and over the long run a small % are like this. I am just glad this happened in their personal lives and not professional.

Unfortunately the industry and the regulators like to stick their fingers in their ears and pretend pilots are above drug addiction and mental health issues. The sooner that stigma is gone the better.

There have been instances where pilots 'appear' to be under the influence and have reported to work. Unfortunately because of union rules, no breath, blood, or urine sample may be taken without a union rep in attendance. Only problem is the rep is 500 miles away and not answering their phone, and when they do 6 hours later, the individual in question is 'sober.' They then are allowed to continue on the trip. Until both sides realize and want to admit their is an issue, nothing will happen.

The key drug used here was Fentanyl this is a killer drug without a doubt. I have heard about plenty of people dying from it. Heroin is bad enough but most times it won't kill you but mix it with Fentanyl you got a good chance of death. Sad situation.

Didn't know of that drug. It seems to me it would not be that smart to sell this if you want your clients to come back for more.

Then again the fact that you can make lots of doses from a very small amount of pure powder must be too tempting.

727200 wrote:

There have been instances where pilots 'appear' to be under the influence and have reported to work. Unfortunately because of union rules, no breath, blood, or urine sample may be taken without a union rep in attendance. Only problem is the rep is 500 miles away and not answering their phone, and when they do 6 hours later, the individual in question is 'sober.' They then are allowed to continue on the trip. Until both sides realize and want to admit their is an issue, nothing will happen.

Whaaa? I've never heard of any such rule; sure, an employee can refuse to take a DOT or non-DOT drug test, but refusal is considered equal to a positive test. No CBA trumps drug testing requirements.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/cri ... WW1NbcORP/

This whole thing is sad and bizarre. It seems like he was dealing with major problems at home. She comes home from disappearing on a drug bender then locks him out and he calls cops because he is concerned she is trying to get to two guns hidden in the bedroom? A year ago. And now this. He was flying for 9 years for Spirit. Presumably had random drug tests, and seems odd he would interface with police the way he did a year ago if he, too, was using at that time. Have to wonder when (if?) he started using, and why. Is this just a joint overdose or something else? All in all, very sad.

727200 wrote:

There have been instances where pilots 'appear' to be under the influence and have reported to work. Unfortunately because of union rules, no breath, blood, or urine sample may be taken without a union rep in attendance. Only problem is the rep is 500 miles away and not answering their phone, and when they do 6 hours later, the individual in question is 'sober.' They then are allowed to continue on the trip. Until both sides realize and want to admit their is an issue, nothing will happen.

Those are some cool alternate facts. Pilots never give blood samples, only breath and urine. They are tested randomly. No union officers would be allowed to be present during a test. Tests are sometimes done before flights, sometimes at the end of the day. But keep on making up your own reality buddy. I've been flying professionally for 15 years, those are the facts.

727200 wrote:

There have been instances where pilots 'appear' to be under the influence and have reported to work. Unfortunately because of union rules, no breath, blood, or urine sample may be taken without a union rep in attendance. Only problem is the rep is 500 miles away and not answering their phone, and when they do 6 hours later, the individual in question is 'sober.' They then are allowed to continue on the trip. Until both sides realize and want to admit their is an issue, nothing will happen.

What on Earth are you blabbing about? If there is ever any doubt about sobriety you go get tested, even if some jerk comes on and asks if the pilots have been drinking as a "joke" you are subject to go get tested now. Without failure after every time an airline pilot is shown on the news coming in drunk, during the next few days some jackass has to get on a plane and say something to one of us. A refusal of a drug/alcohol test basically means you are guilty.

I also have multiple CBA's from airlines including ALPA and Teamsters and not one of them hints at requiring someone watch you pee or get a drug test. It's a process with paperwork and witnesses so this sort of stuff doesn't get messed up and is done right. You get paid extra to do tests too, easy money to blow into a tube or provide some urine.

Hillis wrote:

I haven't seen this posted, so if it has been, my apologies. It just shows you that anyone, I guess, can be a victim of a drug overdose.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/03/ ... -overdose/

If there are any victims they are not those who self-administer drugs and die of overdose or impurities, etc..

The orphaned children are the victims here, not their stupid parents.

You can babble all you want. Reality is I have seen it 1st hand and those facts are the facts. Everything else is just some nameless keystrokes mouthing off. Police your own and there is not an issue.

727200 wrote:

You can babble all you want. Reality is I have seen it 1st hand and those facts are the facts. Everything else is just some nameless keystrokes mouthing off. Police your own and there is not an issue.

No, you're completely wrong - especially where it pertains to US-based FAR 121 carriers (and crew members subject to DOT testing). And it's important that I and others make sure you're challenged because your comments undermine trust in the regulatory system while attempting to smear unions simultaneously.

I will make one final comment on this and then close it. The facts are what they are. SInce you were not a party to it, and certainly don't know the particular instance its best you quit before you embarrass your self further.

727200 wrote:

I will make one final comment on this and then close it. The facts are what they are. SInce you were not a party to it, and certainly don't know the particular instance its best you quit before you embarrass your self further.

So you claim that you saw something first hand, give no details and then try to claim that it's a general practice and people are supposed to believe you? Sorry, it doesn't work like that.