VIAGRA ROLE EYED IN PLANE CRASH

EDGEWATER, Md. (AP) -- Federal authorities are looking into whether
the impotence drug Viagra caused the plane crash that killed actor
William Gardner Knight by impairing his vision.

It's the first such investigation into whether Viagra played a role in
a plane crash, said Kathryn Creedy, a Federal Aviation Administration
spokeswoman.

Knight, 56, was killed Saturday when his light plane crashed in
Maryland. Investigators have asked the state medical examiner to
determine whether he was using Viagra, but declined to comment about
why the request was made.

``Viagra affects pilots' color vision, possibly impairing their
ability to distinguish between blue and green. These colors are used
extensively in airport lighting and cockpit instrumentation,'' Creedy
said.

Last month, the FAA recommended that pilots avoid taking the drug
within six hours of flying because its side effects can include
difficulty in distinguishing certain colors.

Pamela Gemmel, a spokeswoman for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company
that makes Viagra, said that during testing on men, 3 percent reported
``visual disturbances'' that ranged from sensitivity to light to
seeing a bluish-green haze.

Knight, who appeared in films including ``Wall Street'' and ``Born on
the Fourth of July,'' left Delray Beach, Fla., on Saturday morning and
made two stops before trying to land at Lee Airport in Edgewater about
5:30 p.m.

The engine appeared to have been stopped before the plane hit the
water, said Larry Walker, who is heading the investigation for the
Anne Arundel County Police.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry