FAA investigates pilot who tested drunk
July 29, 2002 Posted: 3:42 AM EDT (0742 GMT)
WILMINGTON, North Carolina (CNN) -- Federal Aviation officials are investigating the case of an Atlantic Southeast Airlines pilot who was stopped by security agents after they smelled alcohol on his breath, officials told CNN Sunday.
The pilot was scheduled to fly ASA flight 4240 from Wilmington, N.C., to Atlanta Sunday, sources told CNN.
The pilot's blood alcohol level was later measured at 0.16 -- four times higher than the FAA limit for pilots, CNN learned.
Atlanta-based ASA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines.
FAA spokesman Christopher White said the FAA was aware of the incident and had launched an investigation.
He said the FAA does not require alcohol testing for all pilots. It does require refraining from alcohol use eight hours before a flight, though he said individual airlines may have more stringent rules.
Flight 4240 was delayed for three hours and 42 minutes because of what Delta spokeswoman Nicole Sundgren called a "crew-related issue." She did not confirm the issue had to do with the pilot or alcohol.
"ASA takes the allegations made by a security agent at Wilmington International Airport [that a crew member was intoxicated] very seriously and is conducting a full investigation," Sundgren said.
Catherine Stengel, another Delta spokeswoman, confirmed the first officer was tested for intoxication.
Sundgren said the plane, an Embraer Brasilia 120 turboprop, was carrying 27 passengers. She did not know how many crew members were to be on board, but the crafts usually have two pilots and one flight attendant.
Earlier this month, two America West pilots were accused of trying to fly a passenger jet while intoxicated. They have pleaded not guilty to charges of driving while impaired, a misdemeanor, and operating an aircraft while intoxicated, a felony.
America West fired both pilots.