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An examnation of the captain's pertinent flight records indicated that he had taken the prescribed medical examination when due, on a company record entitled "Pilot Five Year Record." However, these records of the local Federal Aviation Agency medical examiner and the Airmen Records Branch of the Federal Aviation Agency in Washington, D. C., which indicate that his last first-class medical examination was taken March 26, 1956. Company flight records also indicated that Captain Strouse and two other captains were overdue for their proficiency checks. Both of these deficiencies are contrary to Civil Air Regulations. In the former instance it is obligatory for the pilot to take a prescribed physical examination each six months in order to validate his airline transport pilot certificate, which is required of a captain. In the latter, an airline pilot cannot legally serve as a captain unless these prescribed checks are taken and passed.
Separate and distinct from the responsibilities of Captain Strouse are those of the company as prescribed in Civil Air Regulations. These, in part, require that adequate flight records be maintained at all times to be certain of compliance with existing regulations. In this case there were records in the company files indicating that Captain Strouse has taken each succeeding physical examination required after March 26, 1956. However, there were no Federal Aviation Agency or designated medical examiners' records found to substantiate these.
A Federal Aviation Agency representative testified that they had made periodic spot checks of the company's records and had found nothing to indicate that they were not in order. He further testified that if a pilot was asked if he had a valid medical certificate and he replied "yes," the Federal Aviation Agency inspector was not required to actually inspect the certificate for validity.
When it was learned that Captain Strouse apparently had not had a valid medical certificate for a period of approximately three years, inquiries were made of other local medical examiners by the Board investigators to ascertain if, in fact, an examination had been taken and not recorded; none such was found. These inquiries disclosed that Captain Strouse had consulted with an ophthalmologist in Anchorage on August 14, 1958. The records of this examination indicate that his visual acuity was 20/40 either eye with correction, and intraocular pressures 27-28-30 were found in each eye. These records were carefully studied by the Eye Research Foundation of Bethesda, Maryland, recognized experts in this field. This organization determined that glaucoma was present as well as cerebrovascular disease. The extent to which the patient was affected by these conditions could not be determined without an autopsy being performed and it was impossible to perform an autopsy. Among the clinical states which are considered likely to occur in varying degrees as a result of this type of cerebrovascular disease are: total immobilization, partial inmobilizatior, and disturbance of memory, judgment, and reasoning.
Part 29.2 of the Civil Air Regulations clearly states what is required of an applicant to obtain a first-class medical certificate.[1]
- ↑ 3/29.2 First Class (a) Eye. Applicant shall have: (1) A visual acuity of at least 20/20 in each eye separately without correction: Provided, that if the vision in either or both eyes is not poorer than 20/50 and is brought up to 20/20 or better in each such eye by glasses, the applicant may be qualified upon condition that correcting glasses be worn while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate."
