Psychedelic Substances and Mental Health

Last October, another airline experienced a serious incident when a pilot attempted to shut down the plane’s engines during flight. The pilot was off-duty in a cockpit jumpseat and stated that he had taken psilocybin two days prior, which had left him in a hallucinogenic state for 48 hours. A few hours into his flight, he became violent and tried to pull the handles on the fire suppression system, but luckily failed. After flight crew removed him from the cockpit, the aircraft quickly diverted to a nearby airport where law enforcement were waiting to assess the situation. The pilot had been struggling with depression for several years and taking psilocybin amplified his symptoms, causing his catatonic state in the cockpit.

In January of 2023, Oregon legalized the use of psilocybin as a form of therapy and clinics quickly developed indefinite waitlists for clients. These centers use psilocybin to treat mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. However, hallucinogens or other pyschedelic substances can also damage the brain, especially when taken during a turbulent point in the user’s life. Mental health institution Sheppard Pratt describes this effect as substance-induced psychotic disorder, a mental illness that causes the patient to experience hallucinations, disassociation, paranoia, and delusions. This disorder could manifest after extensive use of psychoactive substances or after the first use. For example, the pilot in the earlier example had never taken psilocybin mushrooms before, but still suffered a disassociative episode. While certain factors, like brain injury, family history of mental illness, or side effects of prescription medications can contribute to substance-induced psychotic disorder, it can also manifest with no other factors than the use of hallucinogenic substances. Company policy explicitly prohibits the possession, sale, purchase, or transfer of illegal drugs for all Omni Air International employees or contractors. This includes psychoactive substances like psilocybin as it is still federally prohibited. Additionally, Federal Regulation 14 CFR § 91.17(a)(3) prohibits crew members from operating while using any drug that affects the person’s facilities in any way contrary to safety. The pilot from this incident also claims that, though he was suffering from depression, he declined to seek a diagnosis or antidepressants because he feared being barred from flying. Omni emphasizes that the well-being of employees and passengers is our first priority. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness, do not hesitate to seek a medical professional. Omni offers an Employee Assistance Program to help our employees with a number of issues, including grief, mental illness, alcohol/drugs, and financial concerns. Additional information on this program can be found by contacting our Human Resources Department.