Examinee Nondisclosure of Relevant Medical Information During Transportation-Related Regulatory Examinations: A Case Series.

OBJECTIVE

In the past decade, US transport accidents have resulted in over 370,000 fatalities. Research on medical history nondisclosure during mandatory regulatory exams has been limited. This study used the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) Case Analysis and Reporting Online (CAROL) database to: (1) identify nondisclosure, (2) Assess nondisclosure patterns, and (3) evaluate CAROL's research potential.

METHODS

The CAROL database was searched for US cases (01/01/2010-01/29/2024) involving fatalities and medically related causes. Nondisclosure was defined as operators with undisclosed preexisting conditions or medications in NTSB reports. Twelve cases with recurring themes were described in detail.

RESULTS

Of 3012 accidents, 258 met our criteria; 80 (31%) indicated examinee nondisclosure in the NTSB investigation.

CONCLUSIONS

Operator nondisclosure in NTSB cases underscores CAROL's value for further investigations and highlights the risks nondisclosure poses to US transportation safety.