Calgary Herald

PILOT JAILED AFTER SHOWING UP DRUNK TO FLY

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A Japan Airlines pilot who reported for a London-to-Tokyo flight almost 10 times over the alcohol limit has been sentenced to 10 months in prison.

Katsutoshi Jitsukawa was arrested Oct. 28 after the driver of a Heathrow Airport crew bus smelled alcohol and reported it to security officials. Tests found the 42-yearold first officer had 189 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitre­s of blood in his system, almost 10 times the 20 milligrams limit for a pilot. The limit for drivers in Britain is 80 milligrams.

Judge Phillip Matthews said Jitsukawa had put passengers at risk and the consequenc­es could have been “catastroph­ic.”

Passing sentence Thursday at London’s Isleworth Crown Court, the judge said “the prospect of you taking over control of that aircraft is too appalling to contemplat­e.”

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