Pilot was drunk in the cockpit before 6 a.m. JetBlue flight to Florida, officials say
A pilot was removed from a JetBlue plane headed from New York to Florida after authorities noticed he was drunk before his 6 a.m. flight, news outlets reported.
Pilot James Clifton, 52, was scheduled to operate a JetBlue flight out of Buffalo Niagara International Airport on March 2, the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority confirmed to news outlets.
The NFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
An agent with the Transportation Security Administration observed that Clifton appeared to be impaired when he went through security, Buffalo News reported.
NFTA police pulled the pilot from the plane and gave him a breathalyzer test, officials told WGRZ. He registered a blood alcohol content of 0.17, twice the legal limit of 0.08 and over four times the legal limit for a pilot, according to FAA rules.
FAA rules dictate that pilots should refrain from drinking at least 8 hours before flying.
The pilot’s removal caused a long delay for passengers, who took off four hours later than scheduled, according to flight records. The flight landed at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport at 1:10 p.m.
Clifton, an Orlando resident, has since been removed from his position, a JetBlue spokesperson told WIVB.
“The safety of JetBlue’s customers and crewmembers is our first priority. We adhere to all DOT rules and requirements concerning alcohol at all times and have a very strict zero tolerance internal alcohol policy,” the spokesperson told the outlet. “We are aware of the incident that occurred this morning in Buffalo and are cooperating fully with law enforcement. We are also conducting our own internal investigation. The crewmember involved has been removed from his duties.”
He was taken into custody by police and could face federal charges, Buffalo News reported.
This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 6:13 PM with the headline "Pilot was drunk in the cockpit before 6 a.m. JetBlue flight to Florida, officials say."
