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Intoxicated US pilot pulled from cockpit in Netherlands

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UM#1

UM#1

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Posts
268
Yet again:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/0...ockpit-netherlands-885434036/?test=latestnews


AMSTERDAM – AMSTERDAM (AP) — Dutch police say they have arrested and fined an intoxicated American pilot who was preparing to take off with a passenger jet.
The National Police Corps has not identified the pilot or his airline, but says he is a 52-year-old captain from Woodbury, New Jersey. He does not fly for a Dutch airline, according to a police statement published Tuesday.
Police say they arrested the man in the cockpit of his plane after an anonymous tip. A breath test found he had a blood alcohol content of 0.023 percent — a hair above the legal limit in the Netherlands.
The pilot was fined euro700 ($900) and released, the statement said. The flight was canceled.
 
what was it from his mouth wash in the morning.....Give me a break....Must have been another member of the crew that turned him in. Being that he works at American he was probably a jerk - that is his real crime I'm willing to bet.
 
Max Powers said:
what was it from his mouth wash in the morning.....Give me a break....Must have been another member of the crew that turned him in. Being that he works at American he was probably a jerk - that is his real crime I'm willing to bet.
Click to expand...

Read a little slower... The article never said he worked for American. It said he was an American, as in from the United States... In fact the article specifically said his name and the company he worked for was not identified...
 
Amazing how the flying public cares about intoxicated pilots yet goes into a hissy fit when a flight is cancelled due to pilot fatigue. Last time I checked, lack of sleep killed more people than alcohol.
 
Only in Amsterdam where hooker are in the windows and legal drugs are everywhere. How ironic. Rick Sanchez of CNN reported that this was twice the limit here in the US. Another expert with a camera.:rolleyes:
 
So what happens here. Assuming the news reports are accurate and that he was above the limit - does the company deal with it internally or does the FAA step in?
 
shon7 said:
So what happens here. Assuming the news reports are accurate and that he was above the limit - does the company deal with it internally or does the FAA step in?
Click to expand...

I believe the FAA limit is .04. However, if the FOM specifies lower than .023, than it is controlling document and may lead to certificate action.
 
deadstick said:
Only in Amsterdam where hooker are in the windows and legal drugs are everywhere. How ironic. Rick Sanchez of CNN reported that this was twice the limit here in the US. Another expert with a camera.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yeah, that makes sense! Pilots never get caught in the US for being over the limit!!! Also some recent incidents in LHR spring to mind and just last month a UPS guy got caught in Poland( I believe).

But only in Amsterdam. :rolleyes:
 
I don't think AA even flies to AMS.


Edit:

How accurate are those breath tests anyway? I would have requested a blood test.
 
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The BAC devices are calibrated every few months, so yes they are accurate.

Lets not be our own worst enemies on this one and not tear our fellow aviators apart. We do not know the facts.

Simply put, they are watching, so if you have an issue, seek help from your HIMS department at your airline.
 
It was a Delta pilot.

M
 
.023 is 1 beer for a 160lb man. Burn off rate is approx.015 per hour.

What the hell kind of country arrests and fines you for that?
 
Dornier 335 said:
ACL65PILOT, I beg to differ. I got the following information from another aviation website. Take a look (really interesting read):

Breathalyzer Accuracy - Page 1

Breathalyzer Accuracy - Facts & Info

Breathalyzer Accuracy

Bottom line. Be responsible.
Click to expand...

You can beg to differ, but I know for a fact that the ones used in DOT testing have to be calibrated. I am sure that they do the same over there. If the machine was not calibrated correctly then the person get off.
 
I know for a fact that the ones used in DOT testing have to be calibrated. I am sure that they do the same over there. If the machine was not calibrated correctly then the person get off.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Why then is there so much controversy about the breathalyzers? Several doctors have told me that the only accurate measurement comes from a blood test. Don't know if you can refuse a breathalyzer test and request a blood test instead. That's what I would do.
 
I agree with that. If I ever test positive and I know I am not, I would demand a blood test.


This however does not dismiss the admissibility of the breathalyzer.
 
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Dornier 335 said:
What do the Dutch JAR regs say?
Click to expand...

JAR-OPS 1 Subpart B SECTION 1
01.12.06 1-B-4 Amendment 12

(e) A crew member shall not:
(1) Consume alcohol less than 8 hours
prior to the specified reporting time for flight duty
or the commencement of standby;
(2) Commence a flight duty period with a
blood alcohol level in excess of 0·2 promille;
(3) Consume alcohol during the flight
duty period or whilst on standby.

technically it's European legislation, not Dutch.

This is a copy though I saved some years ago, there may have been some changes since. I believe it is now called EU ops. Unfortunately not as clear cut as the US.
 
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Dornier 335 said:
Interesting. Why then is there so much controversy about the breathalyzers? Several doctors have told me that the only accurate measurement comes from a blood test. Don't know if you can refuse a breathalyzer test and request a blood test instead. That's what I would do.
Click to expand...

You can refuse the breathalyzer and tell the officer your situation. I'm a pilot this can ruin my career etc. etc. and ask for the blood test. Now he's going to have to drive you to the ER I believe to do this, but it's the only accurate way to measure. Now also there is a lot of steps to doing the blood test. If anyone of the steps is done in the wrong order or the officer touches the vile the case is thrown out. Also the nurse taking the blood has to show in court. It's very possible for errors to happen and have your case thrown out. This happened to a good friend of mine who also happens to be a pilot. He was off scott free. Obviously not driving is the logical first step.
 
shon7 said:
So what happens here. Assuming the news reports are accurate and that he was above the limit - does the company deal with it internally or does the FAA step in?
Click to expand...

Being Europe, might make a difference, not sure. Also, the fact that he reported for duty complicates things immensely. But typically once a pilot comes under the spotlight as having a "problem", the FAA would immediately void his medical certificate and he would get to enter his company's "spin-dry" program (HIMS) and eventually get a "Special Issuance" medical after about a year of jumping thru the programs/FAA's hoops. Then monitored for a long time. Every airline out there has a group of pilots "in the program"...some airlines have a bigger percentage than others.


CessnaFan said:
.023 is 1 beer for a 160lb man. Burn off rate is approx.015 per hour.

What the hell kind of country arrests and fines you for that?
Click to expand...

Who in the hell weighs a 160lbs ?!!? Good God...eat a pizza will ya?!

You don't want your wife to be able to kick the crap outta ya. :laugh:
 
veneratio said:
I believe the FAA limit is .04. However, if the FOM specifies lower than .023, than it is controlling document and may lead to certificate action.
Click to expand...

Isn't it .04 to show and .02 to fly?

The reg is silly. You can get hammered enough to fly with a hangover at<.02 as long as you stopped consuming more than 8 hours prior, but if you have your only sip at 7:59 prior and blow .00 when you show, you're in violation.
 
ACL65PILOT said:
You can beg to differ, but I know for a fact that the ones used in DOT testing have to be calibrated. I am sure that they do the same over there. If the machine was not calibrated correctly then the person get off.
Click to expand...

ACL, you are truly an airline mgmt expert, an expert on all things animal and mineral, and now you have become a trusted advisor on all laws and regulations worldwide.

As soon as you add "graduate of an accredited clown college-suma cum laude" to your list of accomplishments and accolades, I will concede that you are a scholar and a gentleman.

-God-You are a putz!
 
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You guys are missing the point here! What the hell was he doing in Amsterdam being drunk? You're supposed to get high and bang a whore, not go to the bar!
 

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