Forensic Science Section
The Forensic Sciences Section conducts toxicological evaluations on aircraft accident fatalities, and continually develops novel methods to answer complex and difficult aeromedical questions. The Forensic Sciences laboratory serves as the primary national site for toxicology testing for federal agencies, including the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The Forensic Sciences Section is made up of two teams; Forensic Toxicology Team and Quality Assurance Team.
Forensic Toxicology Team
The Forensic Toxicology Team (TOX) identifies and quantifies drugs, drug metabolites, alcohols, toxins, and toxic gases detected in biological specimens collected from victims of fatal aircraft accidents. This toxicological data aids both NTSB and FAA accident investigators in determining causal factors in aviation accidents. This data makes it possible for scientists inside and outside of AAM to “proactively address emerging safety risks by using consistent, data-informed approaches to make smarter, system-level, risk-based decisions” (FAA Strategic Initiatives - Make aviation safer and smarter). In addition to continual toxicological evaluation of biological samples, TOX is actively involved in studying conditions that affect the accuracy and validity of laboratory tests and test results and developing new testing methodologies to address emerging drug trends.
Quality Assurance Team
The Quality Assurance Team (QA) oversees quality assurance of the TOX and QA laboratories. In addition to continual quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) functions, QA also works in collaboration with the TOX team to identify biochemical factors that affect humans and focuses on the development of new and sensitive analytical procedures. QA personnel administer AAM-611 QA/QC programs. Since 2003, the Forensic Sciences Section, comprised of the QA and TOX laboratories, has been continually accredited by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology (ABFT), the world's primary private sector certifying agency for laboratories performing forensic testing. Additionally, accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 was achieved in 2023.