A
Japan Airlines pilot has been jailed after being caught in the
cockpit of his Tokyo-bound passenger jet while nearly ten times the
alcohol limit.
First
Officer Katsutoshi
Jitsukawa, 42, was preparing to fly the Boeing 777 from Heathrow
Airport when he was arrested after a tip-off from the bus driver who
transported him and the flight crew to the plane.
He
pleaded guilty to performing an aviation function with alcohol in his
blood exceeding the prescribed legal limit at Heathrow Airport on
October 28.
Jitsukawa
received ten months imprisonment at Isleworth Crown Court, which
heard his blood alcohol level was 189 milligrams.
The
legal flying limit 20.
He
was even more than double the far more generous UK drink-driving
limit.
Jitsukawa
was arrested at 6.50pm – approximately 50 minutes before the plane
was due to take off.
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| Grounded Jitsukawa |
Inspector
Iain Goble, of Aviation Policing, said: "This
is an incredibly serious offence as Jitsukawa, a member of the
airline crew, had responsibility for performing a critical role.
“This
conviction reflects he displayed not only total disregard for the
safety of all the passengers and staff on his flight, but also the
wider public.
"Clearly,
the consequences could potentially have been catastrophic had
security staff and police not intervened and he had continued to
perform his role on the aircraft in the state he was.
"I
would like to praise the security staff who acted quickly and
professionally upon suspecting that Jitsukawa was not fit to fly and
alerted police."
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