First officer report of flying with a captain who was taking the drug prozac.

Attributes
ACN	266296
Time
Date	199403
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mdcs
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mdcs
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 4890 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	266296
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I knowingly acted as a copilot of an aircraft while I was aware that the captain was impaired by the prescription drug prozac. I have had suspicions since christmas but said nothing. On this 4-DAY trip, I accidentally found prozac in my captain's advil bottle. I confronted the pilot after we returned to home base of fdk. I'm not sure what to do next but I am going to anonymously contact FAA legal and medical staff and consult a lawyer. I think this person should turn himself in and face the punishment required. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states he has been contacted by FAA representatives and interviewed along with other company pilots. They are continuing the investigation. The major problem for the pilots is that the person involved is the chief pilot and the drug officer for the company. Some of the higher management are aware of the problem. They just say let's keep this within the company and we will take care of it. They have not. Reporter feels he is not legally bound to turn in the person but feels a strong moral obligation for the safety of passenger who may fly with this captain. He was informed of the hotline just in case nothing progresses as he feels it should. Most of the pilots are afraid for their jobs.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO RPT OF FLYING WITH A CAPT WHO WAS TAKING THE DRUG PROZAC.

Narrative: I KNOWINGLY ACTED AS A COPLT OF AN ACFT WHILE I WAS AWARE THAT THE CAPT WAS IMPAIRED BY THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROZAC. I HAVE HAD SUSPICIONS SINCE CHRISTMAS BUT SAID NOTHING. ON THIS 4-DAY TRIP, I ACCIDENTALLY FOUND PROZAC IN MY CAPT'S ADVIL BOTTLE. I CONFRONTED THE PLT AFTER WE RETURNED TO HOME BASE OF FDK. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT BUT I AM GOING TO ANONYMOUSLY CONTACT FAA LEGAL AND MEDICAL STAFF AND CONSULT A LAWYER. I THINK THIS PERSON SHOULD TURN HIMSELF IN AND FACE THE PUNISHMENT REQUIRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES HE HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY FAA REPRESENTATIVES AND INTERVIEWED ALONG WITH OTHER COMPANY PLTS. THEY ARE CONTINUING THE INVESTIGATION. THE MAJOR PROB FOR THE PLTS IS THAT THE PERSON INVOLVED IS THE CHIEF PLT AND THE DRUG OFFICER FOR THE COMPANY. SOME OF THE HIGHER MGMNT ARE AWARE OF THE PROB. THEY JUST SAY LET'S KEEP THIS WITHIN THE COMPANY AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. THEY HAVE NOT. RPTR FEELS HE IS NOT LEGALLY BOUND TO TURN IN THE PERSON BUT FEELS A STRONG MORAL OBLIGATION FOR THE SAFETY OF PAX WHO MAY FLY WITH THIS CAPT. HE WAS INFORMED OF THE HOTLINE JUST IN CASE NOTHING PROGRESSES AS HE FEELS IT SHOULD. MOST OF THE PLTS ARE AFRAID FOR THEIR JOBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.