Pulled Over For DUI Going To Work

P

phil177RG

Guest
Saturday morning, I was pulled over and subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. It was approximately 0600 and I blew a 0.09. I was unfortunately on my way to the airport (to catch a flight to work, showtime was 1330).

How will this look in the eyes of the FAA? The police report states I was in my uniform going to work, so I'm guessing I will have to disclose this to the AME. I quit drinking 12 hours prior, at 0100 in the morning.

Thoughts?
 
phil177RG said:
Saturday morning, I was pulled over and subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. It was approximately 0600 and I blew a 0.09. I was unfortunately on my way to the airport (to catch a flight to work, showtime was 1330).

How will this look in the eyes of the FAA? The police report states I was in my uniform going to work, so I'm guessing I will have to disclose this to the AME. I quit drinking 12 hours prior, at 0100 in the morning.

Thoughts?
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Where you out with Dwayne Haskins the night before?

To seriously answer your question, they'll view it the same as anyone else: someone who clearly has a high enough tolerance to still be above the legal limit 12 hours after the last drink. How's that even possible?

Start reading up on the HIMS threads and either start to make peace with a 100% sober lifestyle, or make peace with the consideration of starting a new career that does not involve flying.

Edit: I erred in reading the OP and thought he said 12 hours from last drink. I see now it was 5. Better than 12, but still not a great story, obviously.
 
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There is no way this plays out well for you. In order to be blowing 0.09 5 hours after your last drink, you had to be near pass-out drunk at 0100. Or you're extremely alcohol tolerant, which doesn't work for you either. You need to be contacting your union to figure out your next steps.
 
When Joklahoma city gets to the point about the fact that you were attempting to report as a revenue airman with more than trace amounts of alcohol, it's going to even be worse. Don't forget to make your 61.15 reports.
 
Contact me back channel. The only thing I have to add is that contacting the union is IDENTICAL to contacting your chief pilots office. Proceed accordingly.
 
Curious... jumpseat or deadhead listed?
 
Brad Z said:
Where you out with Dwayne Haskins the night before?

To seriously answer your question, they'll view it the same as anyone else: someone who clearly has a high enough tolerance to still be above the legal limit 12 hours after the last drink. How's that even possible.

Start reading up on the HIMS threads and either start to make peace with a 100% sober lifestyle, or make peace with the consideration of starting a new career that does not involve flying.
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5hrs

Stopped at 0100, blew at 0600

If it’s your only one, as memory serves I think you’ll bounce back, that said are you sure you stopped drinking at 0100, could you have lost track of time and it was later, might want to talk to a attorney before you lay out too much of a story here.
 
Tools said:
Contact me back channel. The only thing I have to add is that contacting the union is IDENTICAL to contacting your chief pilots office. Proceed accordingly.
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Not completely sure about that, but regardless….
My guess is he will need to contact his CPO anyway.
 
I am. And he would... but they ain’t exactly honest/correct about your options.

And even in this case there are options.
 
.09 + 5 x -.016 = .17. That's in the range the FAA considers tolerance. Even if he hadn't been stopped, if he was really heading for a 1330 flight, he'd be flirting with an illegal BAC in the air. I'm not even going to ask how he got home from the bender he was on.
 
flyingron said:
.09 + 5 x -.016 = .17. That's in the range the FAA considers tolerance. Even if he hadn't been stopped, if he was really heading for a 1330 flight, he'd be flirting with an illegal BAC in the air. I'm not even going to ask how he got home from the bender he was on.
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I hope the FAA is not spitballing medical diagnosis off that level of “ballpark math”

Also a good reason he should seed professional advice before laying his story out.
 
Jackk said:
I hope the FAA is not spitballing medical diagnosis off that level of “ballpark math”
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Spit-balling the math on this, he is also admitting to maybe 4 hours of sleep before planning on duty 12 hours after a bender. I guess he figured he was going to sleep the rest of it off in the crew lounge before the flight? Sorry, my sympathies on this scenario aren't with the OP.
 
So… party until 1 AM, sleep a few hours at most, plan to sleep off the rest of the night’s debauchery on a flight to work. Meaning, unless I’m wrong, he’d likely be passed out in a seat next to paying customers. Not the most confidence inspiring scene; despite what drunks think, most of us can spot someone sleeping off a bender even when they think they have their **** together.

I’m not one to get self righteous about this kind of stuff, for a variety of reasons… but I hope the OP gets the help he apparently needs before getting back in the cockpit, for work or otherwise. He should send the cop a thank-you card once he figures out how lucky he got.
 
I’m not seeing how anyone benefits by making this situation easier for the OP, not even the OP.
 
Jeff Oslick said:
Spit-balling the math on this, he is also admitting to maybe 4 hours of sleep before planning on duty 12 hours after a bender. I guess he figured he was going to sleep the rest of it off in the crew lounge before the flight? Sorry, my sympathies on this scenario aren't with the OP.
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It was a bad choice, as I’m sure he is well aware of, we have all been guilty of dumb choices, I think he’s going to pay for the ride, I don’t think casting him to the wolves for a bad choice that left no one hurt is warranted.
 
Tools said:
I am. And he would... but they ain’t exactly honest/correct about your options.

And even in this case there are options.
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Are you suggesting the ALPA/HIMS folks should not be trusted? I admit that I have never had the need for their services, so not experienced.
 
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Tools said:
Curious... jumpseat or deadhead listed?
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My guess is listed, but as we both know that can easily turn into a ride in the cockpit jumpseat.
That of course is not good, as I believe most carriers actually consider you an additional crew member if you’re in the cockpit.
 
That is correct. They cannot be trusted.

Two things on the jump seat. If you’re up there, you’re crew, listed correctly or not.

If you’re listed AND NOT UP THERE, you’re crew!

In either case, would have been a violation.
 
Do we know for sure that the OP is a professional pilot, and that "work" was to fly a plane?
He or she just says "in uniform" and "for work", and does not specify. Could be any number of things. (Security guard at a bank? Military member? Baseball player?)
Doesn't change the consequences for an AME, but it there might be different consequences for an employer, depending on what the job is.
 
kath said:
Do we know for sure that the OP is a professional pilot, and that "work" was to fly a plane?
He or she just says "in uniform" and "for work", and does not specify. Could be any number of things. (Security guard at a bank? Military member? Baseball player?)
Doesn't change the consequences for an AME, but it there might be different consequences for an employer, depending on what the job is.
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Well, the OP came to POA, and POA doesn’t stand for “Pitchers of America,” so I doubt it was a baseball uniform. Let’s say I’m 90% sure he’s a professional airman, with 8% going to “troll” and 2% left for uncertainty.

Since he was arrested I’m guessing he missed his flight, so he’ll have some ‘splainin’ to do immediately for his employer and it won’t be pretty.

Bringing this up on a public forum might indicate that the OP is a troll. Or drunk again.
 
Half Fast said:
Well, the OP came to POA, and POA doesn’t stand for “Pitchers of America,” so I doubt it was a baseball uniform. Let’s say I’m 90% sure he’s a professional airman, with 8% going to “troll” and 2% left for uncertainty.

Since he was arrested I’m guessing he missed his flight, so he’ll have some ‘splainin’ to do immediately for his employer and it won’t be pretty.

Bringing this up on a public forum might indicate that the OP is a troll. Or drunk again.
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I vote for "troll" but "drunk" and "troll" are not mutually exclusive.
 
Half Fast said:
Well, the OP came to POA, and POA doesn’t stand for “Pitchers of America,” so I doubt it was a baseball uniform. Let’s say I’m 90% sure he’s a professional airman, with 8% going to “troll” and 2% left for uncertainty.

Since he was arrested I’m guessing he missed his flight, so he’ll have some ‘splainin’ to do immediately for his employer and it won’t be pretty.

Bringing this up on a public forum might indicate that the OP is a troll. Or drunk again.
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OP mentioned "(to catch a flight to work, showtime was 1330)"........maybe he's in the play CATS and showtime was 1330? and his uniform was, uh, a cat?

and I know I'd have to be drunk to watch that play, can't say I blame the troll OP for being drunk IN the play.
 
And by cats, maybe he meant he worked at the Pussycat club...

97c5b0bc-4cb4-41ed-9760-635a02d32889_screenshot.jpg
 
flyingron said:
.09 + 5 x -.016 = .17. That's in the range the FAA considers tolerance. Even if he hadn't been stopped, if he was really heading for a 1330 flight, he'd be flirting with an illegal BAC in the air. I'm not even going to ask how he got home from the bender he was on.
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So? He wasn't driving at 0.17

Most anyone can get to 0.17. It doesn't mean they are tolerant or functional while at 0.17

Me getting to 0.17 is 10 drinks in 4 hours according to the BAC calculator.
 
Jackk said:
It was a bad choice, as I’m sure he is well aware of, we have all been guilty of dumb choices, I think he’s going to pay for the ride, I don’t think casting him to the wolves for a bad choice that left no one hurt is warranted.
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So, driving drunk is ‘OK’ with you? Have you ever lost a family member to a drunk driver? I’m guessing not. Have you ever been a first responder to a drunk driving accident involving fatalities? Where are you get to tell somebody that they no longer have a child, sibling, parent. I’m guessing not. Personally I’m hoping the guy goes to jail, loses his license for five years, and never, ever flies a plane again.
Got to love you bleeding hearts.
 
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kath said:
Do we know for sure that the OP is a professional pilot, and that "work" was to fly a plane?
He or she just says "in uniform" and "for work", and does not specify. Could be any number of things. (Security guard at a bank? Military member? Baseball player?)
Doesn't change the consequences for an AME, but it there might be different consequences for an employer, depending on what the job is.
Click to expand...
You’re right. He could have been a cop… just an example.
 
Morgan3820 said:
So, driving drunk is ‘OK’ with you? Have you ever lost a family member to a drunk driver? I’m guessing not. Have you ever been a first responder to a drunk driving accident involving fatalities? Where are you get to tell somebody that they no longer have a child, sibling, parent. I’m guessing not. Personally I’m hoping the guy goes to jail, loses his license for five years, never flies a plane again.
Got to love you bleeding hearts.
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Well. I have a real problem with what you said and I have lost family members in car accidents due to others negligence and have also been a first responder both wearing a badge and flying an aircraft.

Does that experience mean I have some moral high ground? Does it take away the opportunity of others without said experience to participate in our society?

I think you need to re-cage your gyros.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Well. I have a real problem with what you said and I have lost family members in car accidents due to others negligence and have also been a first responder both wearing a badge and flying an aircraft.

Does that experience mean I have some moral high ground? Does it take away the opportunity of others without said experience to participate in our society?

I think you need to re-cage your gyros.
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I disagree. If they can’t engage in society without endangering and killing other people, innocent people. then they don’t deserve that privilege. No tolerance for it.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
Well. I have a real problem with what you said and I have lost family members in car accidents due to others negligence and have also been a first responder both wearing a badge and flying an aircraft.

Does that experience mean I have some moral high ground? Does it take away the opportunity of others without said experience to participate in our society?

I think you need to re-cage your gyros.
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I'm all for second chances. Third? Not so much. If the OP is "real", he'll have some hoops to jump through, but he'll get back in the seat. And lose advancement opportunities for the rest of his life.
 
Morgan3820 said:
I disagree. If they can’t engage in society without endangering and killing other people, innocent people. then they don’t deserve that privilege. No tolerance for it.
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Ok. As I said. I disagree. It unfortunate we can’t have this conversation. Perhaps one day if we ever meet.

Cheers
 
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