London police arrested an American Airlines pilot twenty minutes before he was scheduled to fly 204 passengers from London to Chicago. 57-year-old Captain Joseph Crites was four-times over the legal alcohol limit and reeking of booze when he tried to enter his Boeing 777’s cockpit.

The 10.15am flight yesterday – AA87 – was delayed while a replacement pilot was found and the Boeing 777 eventually took off at 11.30am.

American Airlines said today: “An American Airlines pilot was arrested at Heathrow yesterday having failed a breathalyser test. Police had been called by airport staff working at the security control post.

[…]

Arrests of drunken pilots are “quite infrequent,” said a police spokesman who declined to be named, in line with police policy. “They are not everyday occurrences.”

Crites is out on bail until July 16.

American Airlines pilot arrested after failing breathalyzer test [CNN]
Pilot held in cockpit is ‘4 times drink limit’ [The Sun]
(Photo: NoiseCollusion)

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