Flying Under The Influence: The Pilots That Have Been Arrested For Being Drunk In The Cockpit

By Mark Finlay

There are several incidents of pilots being arrested for being drunk.

Many people with stressful jobs enjoy a drink to help them wind down and relax.

Some, unfortunately, take it to the next level and become alcohol-dependent.

While it might seem unthinkable given the considerable responsibility that airline pilots have for their passengers and crew, there have been occasions where pilots have been arrested for being drunk in the cockpit.

We were reminded of this a month ago when, on June 16, 2023, 61-year-old Delta Air Lines pilot Lawrence Russell Jr. was arrested for being drunk in the cockpit.

Delta Air Lines Flight 209 was scheduled to depart Edinburgh Airport (EDI) for a seven-and-a-half-hour flight to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

The 25-year-old Boeing 767-300 aircraft with the registration N196DN was due to depart Scotland at 10:35 but never left the gate after police boarded the plane and arrested the pilot.

Delta apologized to passengers

The Delta Air Lines pilot spent the weekend in custody before a hearing Monday at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where he faced a charge of breaching section 93 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003.

Russel refused to enter a plea and remained in custody for another week before being granted bail.

In a statement regarding the incident, Delta said it had apologized to the passengers and accommodated them on another flight. Regarding the pilot, Delta said it was an ongoing investigation.