Originally Posted by
IcePack
The USA held a U.K. Based pilot for over 6 months. Final outcome was no case to answer.
BALPA helped with his accommodation. So not unusual.
No case to answer?
He was lucky enough to cop a plea on felony charges using the 'I didn't know we wuz going flying' claim. I would suggest that defense is far less likely to succeed these days.
Plea Deal Reached By Pilot
Captain Accused Of Alcohol Use
By Maria Glod
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 20, 2004; Page B01
A former Virgin Atlantic Airways pilot accused in December of trying to fly a Boeing 747 after drinking alcohol has pleaded guilty in Loudoun County Circuit Court to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with the operation of an aircraft.
Richard G. Harwell, 55, was arrested Dec. 19, shortly before he was scheduled to fly a plane carrying 400 passengers and crew members from Dulles International Airport to London's Heathrow Airport. Harwell smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred when he was escorted from the cockpit by a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police sergeant five minutes before the plane's scheduled departure, according to court documents.
Harwell, who pleaded guilty July 13, has resigned from his job with the airline and will serve a year of unsupervised probation in London, where he lives with his wife and two children, said his attorney, Thomas C. Hill. Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Horne also imposed a six-month jail sentence and suspended all but three days, which Harwell served after his arrest, Hill said.
Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Stephen Sincavage said there was evidence that Harwell had alcohol in his system, but he said prosecutors could not prove that Harwell took any action to operate the plane before his arrest. [apparently sitting in the plane in uniform reviewing the logbook didn't count back in 2004 - Airbubba]
Hill said his client, a U.S. citizen who was ordered to remain in the United States pending a resolution in the case, is pleased that the legal proceedings are concluded. Hill said he does not know whether Harwell, who had worked for the airline for 14 years as a captain and who holds a British pilot's license, will seek work as a pilot again.
Plea Deal Reached By Pilot (washingtonpost.com)