First officer on flight from Austin to Denver charged with 'flying under the influence'

In 2009, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted approximately 12,000 random screenings of commercial airline pilots for alcohol consumption. Fortunately, only 11 pilots tested positive. Nevertheless, the fact that even a few pilots could be flying/driving while impaired makes potential passengers understandably anxious.

Interestingly, a former commercial airline pilot for Republic Airways - a smaller carrier that handles flights for some of the larger airlines - was recently indicted on federal charges of unlawfully operating and directing the operation of a common carrier while under the influence of alcohol.

According to the relatively brief reports from federal officials, Jason C., 32, was the co-pilot/first officer on United Express Flight 7687 from Austin, Texas, to Denver, Colorado, back in December 2009, and during the course of the flight, the pilot developed "concerns."

Jeffrey Dorschner, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Denver, did state that "passengers were never in danger" and that the passenger plane was flown safely.

(The passenger plane in question was an Embraer regional jet, capable of carrying 70 passengers, as well as a flight crew of two pilots and two flight attendants. The exact number of passengers aboard the aircraft during the December 2009 incident remained unclear.)

As for Jason C., he is currently being located by special agents with the Office of Inspector General and is no longer employed by Republic Airways.

"Republic Airways has a zero-tolerance policy for violations of its restrictions on alcohol consumption, which are more stringent than federal provisions," said company spokesman Carlo Bertolini. "We conducted our own internal investigation and will cooperate in any way asked with relevant authorities as they review this case."

Stay tuned for developments from our Dallas criminal defense blog ...

Please remember, if you are arrested for driving while intoxicated and are thinking about trying to save money by using a public defender or handling the matter yourself, you may want to reconsider. An experienced DWI defense attorney will know the best way to handle your ALR hearing to protect your driver's license, as well as the strategies that the police and prosecutors are likely to use in their case.

Today's post was for informational purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Names have been withheld to protect the identity of the accused.

Related Resources:

Airline co-pilot charged with flying drunk (MSNBC)