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CNN Live Today

Atlantic Southeast Airlines Pilot Drunk

Aired July 29, 2002 - 10:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A flight from Atlanta -- to Atlanta, rather, from North Carolina was held up for nearly four hours, because the pilot allegedly was intoxicated.

CNN's Brian Cabell joins us now. He is at the airlines headquarters in Atlanta. He's got more details on this.

Good morning -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

We talked to the FAA about an hour ago. They told us to get in touch with Atlantic Southeast Airlines, ASA, to get the status on the pilot. All they are telling us right now is that the pilot -- is a serious case against him, they think. They are investigating him, but that's about it.

From ASA headquarters here in Atlanta, what they are telling us, they won't give us the name of the pilot. They do say he is based in Atlanta. They say he was not actually arrested yesterday, but they do confirm he is not flying today.

The incident occurred in Wilmington, North Carolina early yesterday morning, around 6:15 a.m. Apparently, the copilot tried to get on board the plane, but suspicions were raised by one of the security agents. He was called back. He took a blood alcohol test. It rated 0.16, four times the legal allowable limit. So needless to say, he was not allowed to fly. Four hours later, the plane did fly with another copilot.

Very similar, of course, to an incident just a few weeks ago down in Miami, America West Airlines, two pilots got on board a plane there, were taxiing out, they were called back. They, too, were considered to be intoxicated. They have since been fired, their licenses revoked, and they are now facing trial and possibly six years in prison if convicted.

But with this pilot, again, we don't have a name, we don't have the precise legal status right now. We are hoping to get more on this, Leon, later in the day from ASA.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. Thanks, Brian -- Brian Cabell reporting live for us this morning.

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