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5193911 
Journal Article 
Implication of Organophosphate Pesticide Poisoning in the Plane Crash of a Duster Pilot 
Wood, W; Gabica, J; Brown, HW; Watson, M; Benson, WW 
1971 
Yes 
Aerospace Medicine
ISSN: 0001-9402 
42 
A case history of a crop dusting pilot who crashed his plane after flying a routine mission was reported. Ten days before the crash, the pilot had been heavily involved in spraying organophosphates. During the week before the crash, he worked on alternating days spraying Phosdrin (7786347) and trichlorofon (52686). During the day of the crash, the pilot sprayed cargoes of phorate (298022), phosdrin, endosulfan (115297), and mixtures of demeton (8065483) and trichlorofon. His last mission before the crash involved spraying dicofol (115322). Although he survived the crash, his cholinesterase activity was extremely depressed and atropine therapy was initiated. Three days after the crash, red blood cell cholinesterase had increased considerably, but plasma values were at their lowest ebb. One gram pralidoxime was administered intravenously and although the patient remained confused, vital signs improved. Nearly 17 months after the crash, the patient still complained of sleep disturbances and lethargy. The authors suggest that the subject's abrupt and dramatic drop in cholinesterase activity at the time of the crash and for several days thereafter provides strong evidence that organophosphate poisoning did occur and was the prime causative agent in the crash.