JAL Pilot 10 Times Legal Alcohol Limit

November 2, 2018

A Japan Airlines pilot has admitted to being almost ten times the legal alcohol limit at London’s Heathrow Airport last month just before he was due to fly a Boeing 777-300 to Tokyo.

First Officer Katsutoshi Jitsukawa pleaded guilty at a west London Court on Thursday to having a blood alcohol level of 189mg per 100ml. The limit for commercial airline pilots is 20mg per 100ml.

Jitsukawa was scheduled as first officer on JAL flight JL44 to Tokyo Haneda on October 28, but was breathalysed about an hour prior to departure after a ground crew member smelled alcohol and reported him.

The pilot was removed from the aircraft and arrested. The flight left over an hour late after the incident.

Jitsukawa was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on November 29.

(Airwise)