DUI Convictions

[TDTURBO]

As much as I looked into this area, I am still confused as to what to do. 3 years ago a freind of mine received a DUI in another state, shortly thereafter she was injured in a work accident and simply "forgot" about the old DUI and never reported it to the FAA. She had more important things on her mind besides flying, like 12 surgeries and all the follow up complications attributed to said injury. Well, when it comes time for the medical renewal should she just leave that section blank since she didn't report it within 90 days? If she reports it now they are going to suspend it anyway since its past the 90 days, right? So what does she got to lose by not saying anything and hope they don't find it at all? It's just another suspension anyway, what does she have to lose? Its the same potential penalty after the 90 days as if she never said anything........thoughts?

 

[Wiggums]

Typically a DUI will show on her NDR, which if you read the fine print on the medical form the FAA may check. If she pled down to a lower charge such as reckless driving that would have saved her NDR. Also, the NDR will show every license she's ever had, so it's possible they could contact each state for detailed MVR records.

The FAA would almost certainly suspend her medical if they found out she misrepresented or lied on a medical form. Check the small print where you sign.

 

[cvsfly]

If she ever hopes to fly professionally, she needs to start taking care of it now. We had an 135 applicant who had a DUI violation (which was plead down), but he didn't make the deadline for reporting it to the FAA. He had attempted to make ammends to that. He had to get a lawyer and many months conversing with the FAA, who told him the issue was finally resolved (in addition to lawyers fees there was a financial penalty). Well apparently the FAA dropped the ball by not closing out file and when we did the background records check it came up as an active violation. Don't take it lightly. The FAA will eventually get the record if they don't already have it.

 

[Boeingman]

She had better get a good aviation attorney to settle this with the feds. It will catch up to her sooner or later.

 

[bobbysamd]

Unreported DUI

Along with finding a good aviation attorney, your friend should order her airman and medical records from the FAA, www.faa.gov . Maybe order her NDR from http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/perform/driver/ and driving records from every state in which she had a driver's license. Maybe court records, too. In other words, do a major sweep of her records. At least she will know from reviewing them what other people can find out about her.

That's a bad business. I hope she can straighten it out.

 

[I.P. Freley]

Some thoughts...

A few of the above posts have some information that may or may not be erroneous, depending upon the state and other factors.

-Many states immediately suspend your driver license when you are initially pulled over and/or arrested, and will remain so until either the case is settled or the term of the suspension is run out (usually 180 days). Even if you plead guilty to a lesser charge, the record of the alcohol-related license suspension will stay and will be reported to the NDR. Trust me, I know.

-The FAA WILL, and I mean WILL find anything on the NDR. Their checking it is not simply a "can do" it's a "will do", and eventually they will find it. Simply not reporting it is the worst thing you can do.

-I believe you will find that the period of time in which the FAA requires you to report any motor vehicle actions is 60 days, not 90 days. My recollection at least.

-As for the NDR, it's my understanding that all midemeanor traffic charges will make it to the report... And that would include Reckless Driving. DWI/DUI, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular homicide, all that good stuff will also make it.

This much I have learned in my looking this stuff up, since I too have a friend that was arrested for a DUI (and by "friend", I of course mean ME... Hee hee hee). The upside of my situation is that I, I mean MY FRIEND, wasn't convicted of the charge and still managed to get not one but THREE airline jobs anyway. Yes, it has cost me a job or two, I think, as the glazed look that comes over an interviewer's face when this topic comes up is unmistakable... But the further away the incident gets without any repeat performances makes it matter less and less. If your friend can get the "whoops it's been three years and I haven't reported it" thing taken care of, she will find that after five years from the incident, noone really cares anymore. Once it is TEN years you don't even have to report it on most major airline applications.

Just make sure that a lesson was learned and it doesn't happen again. I know an individual that managed to beat a DWI rap (which was way more serious than MINE), yet subsequent to that wrecked his car in another DWI incident that he ALSO managed to get away with... Yet I watched him knock back more beers than he should've and drive after all that had happened. Don't be the person that the law was mean to protect us all from. Once is once, but if it happens again, maybe you need to rethink both your career choice AND your ability to learn from your own mistakes. In the worst case, the law of the land or the law of averages will help make this decision FOR you.

My $.02.

 

[Wiggums]

Re: Some thoughts...

-As for the NDR, it's my understanding that all midemeanor traffic charges will make it to the report... And that would include Reckless Driving. DWI/DUI, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular homicide, all that good stuff will also make it.

Sorry, I wasn't completely clear. When I meant her NDR would be saved I meant that it wouldn't show as a DUI. Reckless driving will still show, along with all the above. Good info.

 

[partialpanel]

"A friend of mine" got a DUI 15 years ago--is there a point where this no longer has to be indicated on the airman medical application?

 

[TDTURBO]

Thanks for all the info, she doesn't really care if they find out or not, she doesn't plan on flying as a career. She would like to keep it but say's its not worth all the hassle, she always has me to fly with anyway.