American Airlines Pilot Charged with Operating a Plane Under the Influence

 

American Airlines co-pilot, John Francis MaGuire, 50, of Pennsylvania has been charged with operating an aircraft under the influence, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday.

Authorities allege that around 6:45 a.m. Saturday, McGuire was in the cockpit of an American Airlines plane at Detroit Metro Airport and was under the influence of alcohol when he was detained and arrested.  He was released by authorities the same day.

Flight 736 to Philadelphia was scheduled to leave Detroit just before 7 a.m., but was canceled. Transportation Safety Administration representatives alerted airport authorities about suspicious behavior, WXYZ reported Saturday.  The FAA said co-pilot was "detained this morning under suspicion of having a BAC over the legal limit when he arrived for his flight in Detroit."

Airport authorities said the pilot failed a breathalyzer test and was taken into custody by the Wayne County Airport Authority before being turned over to Romulus police, where he failed another breathalyzer test, the station reports.