Frequency of convictions for lying on FAA medical form

Consider what you're hiding? A prescription for a banned
FAA drug means you're being treated by a doctor and the
condition requires treatment and the drug may have
side-effects. You get to fly with the worry that you'll be
caught or die from the disease or drug. Maybe it is a
sedative and your judgment will be effected further and
you'll fly into freezing rain or a thunderstorm.

Odds are the only people you'll kill will be family and
friends of yours, so go ahead.



"Sally Grozmano" wrote in message
. ..
| Grumman-581 wrote
in
|
news |
| On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:49:58 +0000, in
| , Sally
Grozmano wrote:
| It seems to be "common knowledge" that many pilots do
lie, but I never
| hear of actual convictions.
|
| There's a fine line between not volunteering additional
information and
| actually lying... Or perhaps it's just not volunteering
information that
| the FAA has no way of finding out anyway... evil-grin
|
|
| Once one signs the bit that says, "I have completed this
to the best of my
| knowledge" (or whatever) it becomes lying. But anyway....
|
| I know that the FAA can actually find out about some
omissions, e.g. DUIs
| (because you also sign the bit that allows them to search
the driver
| registry) and the recent case where people were also
claiming SSI benefits.
| I'm just not so sure on stuff like prescriptions. If they
are controlled
| substances, they have to be on record with the DEA or
something, no? Non-
| controlled substances are known by one's insurance
company, but I am pretty
| sure those records are private.

On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:49:58 -0800, Sally Grozmano wrote
(in article ):

Hi,

I am familiar with the potential penalties for lying on the FAA medical,
but was curious if anyone had any stats on *actual* convictions that have
occured for this, and what the associated penalties were? It seems to be
"common knowledge" that many pilots do lie, but I never hear of actual
convictions.

I would expect convictions to be rare. It is difficult to prove, since your
medical records are confidential. Usually, if drugs such as anti-depressants
show up in your medical tests they just deny a medical certificate.

One problem is just remembering when you went to the doctor to see if that
mole had grown any three years ago. Filling out those medical forms implies
that you have either a perfect memory or that you keep far better medical
records than the average Joe.

That said, you are playing with your own life and with the lives of others if
you are not medically fit to fly.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

Jim Stewart wrote:

If you read the fine print when you sign an insurance
application, I think you'll find that you've given
them the right.

I signed no such thing, nor is it in any subsequent contract I have
with them. Further, even if I did authorize it, I doubt the FAA is
going to turn over my medical records to a commercial entity.

The issue is will the commercial entity [insurance company,
HMO, or other] turn your records over to the FAA.




"Ron Natalie" wrote in message
m...
| Jim Stewart wrote:
|
| If you read the fine print when you sign an insurance
| application, I think you'll find that you've given
| them the right.
|
| I signed no such thing, nor is it in any subsequent
contract I have
| with them. Further, even if I did authorize it, I doubt
the FAA is
| going to turn over my medical records to a commercial
entity.

C J Campbell wrote:
One problem is just remembering when you went to the doctor to see if that
mole had grown any three years ago. Filling out those medical forms implies
that you have either a perfect memory or that you keep far better medical
records than the average Joe.



Then there's guys like me who work in a hospital and see doctors every day. I
haven't been in a doctor's office in well over a year. I usually get my minor
ailments treated as a courtesy by the docs I'm friendly with. No bill / no
record. Fortunately, there have been no major problems in quite a while.


That said, you are playing with your own life and with the lives of others if
you are not medically fit to fly.


No question about that. Now can somebody who's recently gone for a flight
physical tell me: do they ask for any changes since the last flight physical or
are you expected to regurgitate your entire history every time you go in. Mine
is quite extensive and I'm not sure I can remember all of it at this point.
I've had numerous I&Ds, skin grafts, orthopedic procedures and redoes in the
past. Please tell me I'm not going to have to tell them all that crap all over
again. OTOH, just asking for changes in the last couple of years is fair
enough... especially since there's been none.


--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Since you brought up anti-depressants...

Am I the only one here who finds it ironic that you can't get a medical if
you have your depression treated and control it with medication, but someone
running around with an untreated problem can?





"C J Campbell" wrote in message
e.com...
On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 07:49:58 -0800, Sally Grozmano wrote
(in article ):

Hi,

I am familiar with the potential penalties for lying on the FAA
medical,
but was curious if anyone had any stats on *actual* convictions that
have
occured for this, and what the associated penalties were? It seems to be
"common knowledge" that many pilots do lie, but I never hear of actual
convictions.

I would expect convictions to be rare. It is difficult to prove, since
your
medical records are confidential. Usually, if drugs such as
anti-depressants
show up in your medical tests they just deny a medical certificate.

One problem is just remembering when you went to the doctor to see if that
mole had grown any three years ago. Filling out those medical forms
implies
that you have either a perfect memory or that you keep far better medical
records than the average Joe.

That said, you are playing with your own life and with the lives of others
if
you are not medically fit to fly.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

C J Campbell writes:

That said, you are playing with your own life and with the lives of others if
you are not medically fit to fly.

Yes, but that may not be synonymous with legally fit to fly.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Jim Macklin wrote:
Just ask the FAA, statistics must be reported.

But like most FAA enforcement, investigations follow
accidents. They don't have convictions or civil penalties
for dead pilots, although there may be torts for innocent
losses.

Doesn't need to be a dead pilot, just a fatal accident (someone
other than the pilot may have died)...

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...
Consider what you're hiding? A prescription for a banned
FAA drug means you're being treated by a doctor and the
condition requires treatment and the drug may have
side-effects. You get to fly with the worry that you'll be
caught or die from the disease or drug. Maybe it is a
sedative and your judgment will be effected further and
you'll fly into freezing rain or a thunderstorm.

Odds are the only people you'll kill will be family and
friends of yours, so go ahead.



"Sally Grozmano" wrote in message
. ..
| Grumman-581 wrote
in
|
news |
| On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 15:49:58 +0000, in
| , Sally
Grozmano wrote:
| It seems to be "common knowledge" that many pilots do
lie, but I never
| hear of actual convictions.

Y'all see you are talking to someone with a Washington DC IP address, right?

Allen

Jim Macklin wrote:
The issue is will the commercial entity [insurance company,
HMO, or other] turn your records over to the FAA.


That's a different story. The assertion was that the insurance
company was going to not pay a claim based on a supposed misstatement
on the FAA medical application. Ain't going to happen. All the
policy says is I have the certificates. If the insurance wants
to use that excuse not to pay, they'll have to wait for the FAA
to revoke 'em first.