Drunk in Charge of a Plane? Luckily not This Time...

[PatchGirl]

A pilot was arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of being drunk moments before he was due to fly a plane.

Erwin Vermont Washington, 51, was reported to police by suspicious colleagues and was later found to be over the alcohol limit for flying a plane.

The United Airlines departure to Chicago was due to leave when police boarded the plane and breathalysed Mr Washington, of Lakewood, Colorado.

He was arrested and later charged with exceeding the prescribed alcohol limit for flying a plane, which is 20mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood.

The Civil Aviation Authority recommends that pilots do not consume alcohol for 24 hours before flying.

It's stories like this that make me doubt my wisdom in getting in a plane at all. With the lives of so many people at stake you'd think pilots would show a bit more responsibility...