A pilot for American Airlines was arrested after a breathalyzer test showed that his blood-alcohol content was above the legal limit for flying, ABC News reports. The Philadelphia flight has been canceled.
The pilot was given another breathalyzer test after being arrested, which was again above the legal limit, a spokesperson for the Detroit Metropolitan Airport said.
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits pilots with a blood-alcohol level of 0.04% or greater from flying, and pilots are restricted from drinking 8 hours or less from flight, although most airlines have even lengthier requirements.
The legal limit for driving is a 0.08% blood-alcohol level.
“This is a serious matter and we are assisting local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation,” American Airlines said in a statement. “We will handle this matter appropriately as the safety and care of our customers and employees is our highest priority.”
The pilot’s identity has not been released, but the airport said that he was born in 1965 and is from Pennsylvania.
Pilots flying under the influence are rare but not unheard of. Earlier this year federal prosecutors charged a Alaska Airlines pilot for making two flights with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit, according to NBC News.
