Caravan 208A
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Confusion; Physiological - Other; Fatigue
Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Aircraft; Human Factors; Company Policy
I was tasked to fly on a Caravan to recover a broken aircraft at an outstation. During the flight the Captain was using the TKS System to deice the aircraft leading edges and windshield. I kind of knew I was being exposed to the fumes and vapors; because I could taste a sweetness in my mouth. After arriving at the outstation my first breath outside of the aircraft I knew something wasn't right by the taste and smell. Also my throat began to burn and after a few hours I felt nauseous. I flew home on the repaired aircraft and had a drunken feeling causing me to not be fully alert as normal of my surroundings. I made it home after the flight and felt like I had a film on me; so I took a shower and felt fatigue all of sudden. Went to bed and awoke with a sore-throat; sinuses burning; and a headache. I have felt fatigued all day and still kind of not fully alert as usual. I feel all this is in relation to the exposure of the TKS vapors from the 1.7 hour flight to the outstation.More tests should be done on this system in flight in different conditions. This is an accident waiting to happen. Exposure to flight crew should be looked at to avoid health issues in the future.
Blood tests were not taken because he was not able to get to the Doctor until the following day and it was thought that results would not be accurate.
A Mechanic tasked with a 1.5 hour C208 deadhead flight felt ill; developed an intoxicated feeling; a sore throat; burning sinus and headache following prolonged TKS fluid exposure during the flight.