After an off-duty pilot who said he had struggled with depression for months tried to shut off fuel to a plane's engines midair, industry advocates are drawing renewed attention to the difficulties pilots face dealing with mental health issues. The Federal Aviation Administration's tight regulations and reliance on pilot 'self-reporting,' advocates say, create a culture in which aviators bottle up their problems instead of reporting them and seeking treatment.
The study Donnelly-McLay co-authored focused on data compiled from 2,000 anonymous pilots' responses to a survey. It found that 12.4% of pilots may be clinically depressed. Even more alarmingly, the survey found that about 4% of pilots had suicidal ideations at times. In Europe, about 17% of pilots suffer from depression, according to a Trinity College survey spearheaded by pilot Paul Cullen. Still, many pilots do not report their depression.