JetBlue Pilot pilot suspected of being drunk was removed from a flight prior to takeoff

A JetBlue Airways pilot believed to be inebriated was removed from a flight prior to takeoff Wednesday and later blew more than twice the legal limit on a breathalyzer test.

James Clifton, 52, was going through security at Buffalo International Airport when an alert Transportation Security Administration agent suspected the pilot of being impaired, according to CBS News.

The agent contacted airport police, and Clifton was literally removed from the cockpit on a flight that was scheduled from Buffalo to Fort Lauderdale.

When police conducted a sobriety test with a breathalyzer, Clifton registered a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of 0.17 percent – more than twice the legal BAC level of 0.08 in New York State and more than four times the limit of 0.04 that the Federal Aviation Administration considers unfit to play.

After the test was administered, Clifton was arrested and could face federal charges.

The FAA said it is aware of “allegations that an airline pilot attempted to report for duty while under the influence of alcohol.”

JetBlue released a statement saying it is conducting its own investigation and that Clifton has been removed from his duties.

While relatively rare, pilots suspected of being intoxicated do happen. As recently as 2019 an American Airlines pilot had a similar incident.