Drunk American Airlines Pilot From Pa. Fails Breathalyzer: Police

By Beth Dalbey:

An American Airlines flight to Philadelphia was cancelled Saturday because the co-pilot was allegedly drunk, a Detroit Metropolitan Airport spokesman said.

The pilot, James Francis MaGuire, 50, of Pennsylvania, was seated in the cockpit when he was removed from the aircraft around 6:30 a.m. Saturday moments before takeoff, according to a news release from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, which said he faces a misdemeanor charge of operating an aircraft under the influence.

A Transportation Security Administration officer reportedly smelled alcohol on his breath as he was going through screening before boarding the aircraft.

Michael Conway, director of public affairs at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, told ABC News the pilot failed two sobriety tests, one administered on the runway before departure of the flight carrying a group of Grosse Pointe Woods high school seniors eventually bound for the Dominican Republic.

One of them, Amanda Albrecht, tweeted a picture of the co-pilot being led away from the aircraft in handcuffs, along with the hashtag #qualityhire.

“I honestly just couldn’t believe it — I was speechless — that something like that could happen and, again, that he could get that close to the aircraft,” Albrecht told WXYZ-TV. “I just wanted American Airlines to be like, ‘Hey, sorry, can we do something about it?’ ”

Under Federal Aviation Administration “bottle-to-throttle” rules, pilots must refrain from consuming alcohol within eight hours of attempting to operate an aircraft. The legal blood-alcohol content is .04, half what it is for operating a motor vehicle in most states.

The FAA recommends that pilots wait at least 24 hours after consuming alcohol before operating an aircraft due to the “hangover effect."

In a safety brochure, the FAA said:

“A hangover effect, produced by alcoholic beverages after the acute intoxication has worn off, may be just as dangerous as the intoxication itself. Symptoms commonly associated with a hangover are headache, dizziness, dry mouth, stuffy nose, fatigue, upset stomach, irritability, impaired judgment and increased sensitivity to bright light.”

The flight was re-booked and the spring breakers were able to continue their journey.

In a statement, American Airlines said:

"This is a serious matter and we are assisting local law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration with the investigation. We will handle this matter appropriately as the safety and care of our customers and employees is our highest priority."