An aviation safety expert says pilots may be subject to greater drug and alcohol testing after a Sea World Helicopters (SWH) pilot who died in a mid-air collision last year was found to have had traces of cocaine in his system.

Chairman of aviation law consultancy firm Avlaw, Professor Ron Bartsch, said the positive drug result for chief pilot Ashley Jenkinson could lead to greater self-regulation by operators.

“They may increase the level of random blood testing and alcohol testing for their flight crew and operational crew,” Professor Bartsch said.

Mr Jenkinson, New South Wales woman Vanessa Tadros and UK couple Diane and Ron Hughes died when the two choppers crashed into each other as one took off and the other came in to land.

Three passengers — including two children — were also critically injured.

‘Not a good look’

The Civil Aviation Authority (CASA) requires all operators to develop and adhere to a drug and alcohol management plan — which is subject to random and unannounced inspections.

Professor Bartsch said the regularity of the surprise inspections is based on the size of the operation.

“Smaller charter operators are less likely to be overseen by CASA as much as what fare-paying passengers and airlines would expect,” he said.

Professor Bartsch said he expected CASA to wait for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) to make its final recommendations before making any changes to drug protocols in the industry.

“It’s not a good look and certainly people have a lot of trust,” he said.

“Maybe this might cause CASA to increase their surveillance of such operators, but normally, the authorities don’t respond to media and public opinion, they go [based on] risk.”

The ATSB is expected to finalise its report in the third quarter of 2024.

The ATSB’s Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said a toxicology report indicated very low concentrations of cocaine metabolites in Mr Jenkinson’s system at the time of the crash.

“It is unlikely there would have been impairment of the pilot’s psychomotor skills,” Mr Mitchell said earlier this week.

But the ATSB said it wasn’t known whether side effects of the drug, which “can include fatigue, depression and inattention”, had any effect on Mr Jenkinson’s performance.

Pilot passed random drug test five months before crash

Sea World Helicopters has confirmed Mr Jenkinson passed a random drug test in August 2022.

“At no time prior to the tragic accident and since, has any suspicious behaviour been noticed nor referenced by any SWH employee,” the company said in a statement.

The operator said its drug and alcohol management policy exceeded CASA’s requirements.

“SWH pilots have always been required to undergo a daily alcohol breath test and show zero blood alcohol content before commencing duties,” the statement released on Wednesday said.

“Pilots also undergo a pre-employment drug test. This can also be extended to random testing if there are reasonable suspicions that a pilot may be under the influence of drugs.”

Short-term effects of cocaine subside within hours

Griffith University lecturer Dr Tim Pitakowski said cocaine typically has a very short-term acute physiological effect on the body.

“It’s very dose-dependent, but in the short term, a lot of people are going to experience (increased) body temperature, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure,” Dr Pitakowski said.

He said a high normally lasts for an hour and a half before impairment is reduced.

“Most people snort cocaine and generally that will come on within five minutes, maybe less, it will last for up to 90 minutes.”

Dr Pitakowski said generally all traces of cocaine would leave the body after about three days.