Fatal Aircraft Accidents: A Pathologist's Notebook

S K Adaval

This book highlights aspects of Aviation Accident Pathology for doctors involved in the investigation of fatal aircraft accidents. A specific plan of investigation that includes details about the preparations that must be made prior to the arrival at the accident site, tasks that need to be performed and the procedures for the collection and analysis of evidence and specimens is provided.

S K Adaval Air Vice Marshal S.K. Adaval joined the Armed Forces Medical Services in India in 1962 after earning his post-graduate degree in Pathology. He was trained by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Laboratory Quality Control at UK, USA and Canada. He worked for several years at the Institute of Aviation Medicine Bangalore, where he underwent special training in Aviation Accident Pathology. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) by the President of India for professional excellence and for his work with the joint Indo-Soviet Space Mission in 1982. He retired from the Armed Forces after serving as the Additional Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (Medical Research). After retirement, he worked as Professor and Head of Pathology at AIIMS, Belur, Karnataka for four years.
During his tenure in the Armed Forces, he investigated a large number of military and civil fatal air crashes and his scientific papers on this subject have regularly appeared in various journals. This book is based on material gathered by him over three decades and provides an insight into this specialized discipline of Pathology.