the issue of pilot mental health, which# was pushed into the spotlight this fal when an off-duty pilot was charged with# trying to crash an Alaska Airlines flight## from inside the cockpit.

That pilot later# told police he hadn't slept in 40 hours## and was experimenting with psychedelic# mushrooms to help deal with depression.

Earlier this month, the National# Transportation Safety Board held a## full-day summit devoted to mental health in# aviation.

And commercial pilot Troy Merritt shared why he sought treatment for depression# despite the potential cost to his career.

TROY MERRITT, United Airlines Pilot: I# found myself no longer able to function## a day-to-day basis and ultimately# no lon when I knew I needed to take the# next step to address my health.

For many, including myself, the choice# to use an antidepressant can be a very## difficult one.

It was especially difficult# because I knew what was ahead of me.

I faced## months to years out of work navigating# the complicated certification process to## get my medical back and the possibility# of being told I could never fly again.

These prospects only worsened my# anxiety and depression and made## an important personal health# decision even more difficult.

GEOFF BENNETT: We're going to talk# more about this with Jennifer Homendy,## who chairs the National# Transportation Safety Board.

It's good to see you.

Thanks for coming in.

JENNIFER HOMENDY, Chair, Na GEOFF BENNETT: And we that clip, he says his treatment has gone# well.

He hop But so many pilots say the system is broken.# The FAA relies on them to self-report mental## health issues, but so many pilots are afraid# to do that, for fear of losing their licenses.

That presents a major safety risk.

JENNIFER HOMENDY: It does# present a major safe A lot of pilots and air traffic controllers# and others in aviation have it's work or seek help.

You should be able to seek## professional mental health care while# still being able to retain your job.

We're talking about losing loved# ones, going through divorces,## just the stress of jobs.

And it's usually,# at least for the pilots, fly or get denied.

GEOFF BENNETT: And pilots who do# seek care say they face long waits,## expensive evaluations to prove that they# meet the FAA's standards of fitnes And they say the process to get back in# the cockpit is opaque.

How actively are## you working with the FAA to modify its position# and this process while also maintaining safety?

JENNIFER HOMENDY: Well, I'm very# encouraged by the FAA's formation## of a rulemaking committee to look at# the issue, but I hope there is action.

I have had a lot of conversations with# Mike Whitaker, and the secretary of## transportation has been very supportive# of mental health care and has said some## great things with respect to pilots and# others in the aviation community.

So,## I hope that we are headed in the right# direction to some help for others.

GEOFF BENNETT: There are more demands# than ever on pilots right now.

What## particular pressures and stressors do pilots face?

JENNIFER HOMENDY: They have an# extremely stressful job.

I mean,## they have safety in the skies.

They# have so much on their shoulders,## not to mention everything that they face in# their personal lives.

And we expect pilots to## be superheroes, as if they don't need help# during their most difficult times in life.

They should be no different than you, me, say,# a locomotive engineer who's also responsible for## the safety of others, surgeons and others, where# they are able to get the care that they deserve.

GEOFF BENNETT: Do you also worry about# overtaxed and potentially stressed-out## air traffic controllers, especially given# the uptick in the near-miss collisions,## as reported recently by The New York Times?

JENNIFER HOMENDY: I do.

And we kno investigations on runway incursions.# We have a shortage among air traffic## controllers right now.

That shortage has# led to mandatory overtime for a number of## workers.

We're talking six-day workweeks,# supervisors that are doing controller jobs.

They aren't able to receive the training# that they should be able to receive right## now because they are on duty all the time.# That leads to a lot of stress.

It leads to## fatigue.

And so I get very concerned# about the impact on each of them.

GEOFF BENNETT: Changing what it means# to need mental health care and aviation,## transforming the process is one thing,## but it strikes me that this requ JENNIFER HOMENDY: It does.

It does.

And we have to really look a aviation is no different here.

We know that# stress impacts others.

We know how prevalent## mental health needs are.

We know that one in# five people have a mental health condition,## and we know over 50 percent of# them are not able to seek care.

And so, we know in aviation# that they should be able to## seek help, and we know that early# intervention ensures safety for all.

GEOFF BENNETT: While you're here, I also# want to ask you about Tesla, because Tesla,## as you well know, it's recalling nearly# all two million of its c the use of its autopilot feature.

And this# follows a two-year investigation by safety## regulators of roughly 1,000 crashes# in which this feature was engaged.

How big a problem is this?

And why didn't# regulators catch this on the front end?

JENNIFER HOMENDY: Well, how big a problem is# it?

It's two million vehicles, to be exact.

But this is a problem that goes back to 2016, when# we investigated a horrific crash in Williston,## Florida, and we said right then that this# technology leads to driver disengagement and that## NHTSA had to take it seriously, that Tesla had# to take it seriously, and they had to address it.

Here we are seven years later, and NHTSA came# up with the same exact conclusion that we came## up with seven years ago, after several# investigations and several deaths.

So,## if they had acted sooner, I think that# would have prevented some fatalities.## But here we are.

And, hopefully,# Tesla is taking this seriously.

GEOFF BENNETT: Is there a way to prevent# that in the future, that same thing,## where something you spotted years# ago is now finally JENNIFER HOMENDY: This happens a lot.

We issue safet aimed at preventing that tragedy from reoccurring.# And, sometimes, we're ignored.

And, sometimes,## we're ignored far too long.

One recently that# was implemented was ignored for 50 years.

We need action, whether it's Tesla or any other# vehicle manufacturer or entity, to ensure safety.

GEOFF BENNETT: NTSB Chair# Jennifer Homendy, good to see you.

JENNIFER HOMENDY: Thank you very much.