An American pilot who was more than three times over the alcohol limit to fly a plane has pleaded guilty to a police charge when he was arrested at Heathrow airport last November. He is due to be sentenced at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court next month.
The arrest came as he was preparing to take off from Heathrow airport, just minutes before the flight was due to leave. A colleague smelt alcohol on his breath and notified the authorities, after which the police arrived and arrested him. The breath test showed he was over three times the permitted alcohol level allowed to fly a plane, and the flight was subsequently cancelled.
Prosecutor Kevin Christie told the media “The pilot was arrested as it was believed he had reported for work and had intended to fly the aircraft in the role of captain.”
The United airlines pilot pleaded guilty and banned from further air travel before sentencing begins in February 2010. The plane was to carry 124 passengers and 11 crew members. The recorded reading was 31 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millimeters of breath, with the limit allowed being 9 micrograms.
Released on bail until the sentencing, the pilot was said to be remorseful for his actions.
Tags: airport, american airlines, Heathrow, passenger, plane