Yahoo News Japan Airlines pilot jailed after preparing to fly jet while NINE times over the alcohol limit
A Japanese pilot has been jailed for 10 months after preparing to fly a passenger jet from Heathrow while around nine times the alcohol limit.
First officer Katsutoshi Jitsukawa, 42, was arrested at Heathrow after failing a breath test just 50 minutes before Japan Airlines (JAL) flight JL44 to Tokyo was due to take off.
Jitsukawa had previously pleaded guilty to exceeding the alcohol limit and on Thursday was handed a prison sentence at Isleworth Crown Court.
The court heard that security noticed he smelled strongly of alcohol, seemed drunk and had “glazed eyes”.
Judge Phillip Matthews said Katsutoshi was clearly “very intoxicated” prior to the evening take-off and had been drinking that day, telling him: “You are an experienced pilot but you had clearly been drinking for a long period up to a time shortly before you were due to go into that plane.”
He said: “Most important is the safety of all persons on board that very long-haul flight, potentially 12 hours or more, their safety was put at risk by your inebriation and drunkenness.
“The prospect of you taking over control of that aircraft is too appalling to contemplate. The potential consequences for those on board was catastrophic.”
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Prosecutor Douglas Adams said Katsutoshi was challenged by security staff on the plane after colleagues had noticed alcohol radiating from his breath and believed he was “drunk”.
After he was challenged, he said he had drank whisky the night before but had already passed a breathalyser test.
He said he needed to grab his blazer from the plane and was found in the toilet rinsing and gargling his mouth with mouthwash, the prosecutor said.
A preliminary breath test found him to be more than 10 times the limit with 93mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – the legal flying limit is 9mg.
After he was caught, JAL issued an apology and pledged to “implement immediate actions to prevent any future occurrence”, adding that “safety remains our utmost priority”.
