Airline pilot faces jail for being over limit shortly before flight

Captain Erwin Vermont Washington, 51, was reported to police by a concerned colleague who smelled alcohol on his breath before the flight to Chicago. There were 124 passengers and 11 crew members on board flight UA949, with departure of the United Airlines Boeing 767 "imminent", when officers arrived at Terminal One.

Washington, of Lakewood, Colorado, was found to have more than double the amount of alcohol in his blood allowed for flying when he was tested. He pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court, west London, yesterday to being a member of aviation staff performing an aviation function while exceeding the proscribed alcohol limit.

Magistrates' chairman Geoff Edwards said their powers were insufficient to sentence Washington, who will instead be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court, south west London, on February 5.

Kevin Christie, prosecuting, told the court two policemen attended the airport to tell Washington of the allegation after suspicions were raised ahead of the flight's scheduled departure time of 12.05pm.

Washington was found to have 31 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit being nine micrograms. The blood test later carried out revealed he had 50 milligrams in 100ml of blood. The limit for pilots is 20 milligrams. In comparison, the legal limit for driving a car is 80 milligrams.

Chris Humphreys, defending, said Washington was remorseful. He said legislation regarding aviation staff over the legal limit for flying had only been used seven times since it was introduced in the Railway and Transport Act 2003.