Delta pilot suspected of drinking arrested at MSP

[Airbubba]

More details in a later news report:

Schroeder was arrested on July 30, 2019 a little after 11 a.m. on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol after an investigation was conducted by airport police.

Patrick Hogan, the airport spokesman told CNN that before Schroeder got on the plane he was seen leaving a TSA screening line for crew members when he noticed there was additional screening being conducted. Hogan added that Schroeder left the line which drew suspicion. He later went back into the screening line and boarded the plane.

He had initially walked up to a random screening detail at the Known Crew Member entrance around 10:30 a.m. and then stopped abruptly. According to the report, the pilot “began looking around the screening area and appeared confused.” He then went up to a TSA screener and asked if he had to be screened. The TSA screener told Schroeder he did, and Schroeder stated he “wasn’t ready” and left the area.

According to the report he was seen on CCTV entering a men’s restroom for a brief time before exiting and returning to the screening area. The report continues to say that a 1.75 liter of Phillips Vodka was found shortly later in a trash can in the same restroom. When Schroeder returned, he stated he had forgotten his iPad in the Delta crew room. According to the report, he was “visibly shaking and appeared extremely nervous.”

The report alleges that a detective followed him into the aircraft. He was located in the cockpit, seated in the first officer’s chair. The detective said Schroeder was “operating the console on the aircraft by touching various buttons.”

After he agreed to speak to the detective he alleged that he had not drunk since “last Saturday.” The detective stated in the report as he was speaking with the pilot, he noticed he was shaking, sweating, and could smell “a light odor of a consumed alcoholic beverage” from his breath. Schroeder told the detective he did not know why his breath smelled like that. Originally stating he did not go to the restroom and instead insisting he went to the Delta crew room, he then stated after further questioning that he “might have” gone to the restroom but denied discarding a bottle of alcohol in the trash.

After a preliminary breath test, Schroeder recorded a .065 blood alcohol level. It’s illegal for pilots to fly with a blood alcohol level of 0.04 or higher, and Federal Aviation Administration rules prohibit pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight. He was booked and later released.

After his arrest, the plane for Delta Flight 1728 was fully boarded but had not yet left the gate. The passengers were told to leave the plane and return to the terminal. The flight, scheduled to depart at 11:20, ended up leaving an hour late.

Delta spokeswoman Kate Modolo released a statement to CNN confirming the airline was working with local authorities; “Delta’s alcohol policy is among the strictest in the industry and we have no tolerance for violation. Delta is cooperating with local authorities in their investigation.”

https://globintel.com/usa/gabriel-ly...er-pilot-wiki/