A pilot with an airline was removed from the cockpit of a flight after having a blood-alcohol level more than four times the federal limit for pilots. The 52-year-old pilot James Clifton, who works for JetBlue, was also taken into custody in the US.
The pilot, who is a man from Orlando, Florida, was removed from the cockpit after a Transportation Security Administration agent told the authorities that he looked “impaired” while passing through security, reported the Buffalo News.
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Niagara Frontier TSA spokeswoman Helen Tederous said that the pilot told authorities that he had seven to eight drinks before he got on the plane, which was departing from Buffalo Niagara international airport to Fort Lauderdale.
After his removal, the police performed a breathalyzer test. It was found that his blood-alcohol level was 0.17% in the test. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots from drinking within eight hours of a flight or flying with a blood-alcohol level more than 0.04.
Initially, he was taken into police custody, and later handed over to JetBlue security.
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The pilot has been removed from his duties by JetBlue and may also face federal charges, said Tederous.
In a statement, JetBlue officials said they were aware of the incident and cooperating with law enforcement. They were also conducting an internal investigation.
“We adhere to all (Department of Transportation) rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero-tolerance internal alcohol policy,” read the statement.
(With inputs from agencies)
