A former Far Eastern Air Transport Corp (FAT, 遠東航空) pilot might face a fine of up to NT$300,000 (US$9,850) or permanently lose his license after failing an alcohol test before a flight from Kaohsiung to Penghu earlier this month, the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) said yesterday.
The airline said the incident happened on March 7, when the pilot, surnamed Yeh (葉), was asked to take part in a random Breathalyzer test at Kaohsiung International Airport before his flight to Penghu’s Magong Airport.
The test administered by the aiport’s flight operating section found that Yeh had an alcohol level of 0.52mg per liter — four times higher than the limits set by the agency.
The airline said it was surprised that Yeh had failed the Breathalyzer test, as it had just recruited the pilot last year from TransAsia Airways Corp (復興航空), which ceased operations in November.
Not only did the airline immediately suspend Yeh’s assignment that day, it also reported the incident to the CAA, the company said.
The company added that it fired the pilot after an internal investigation.
According to the airline, Yeh is in his 50s, has been flying for more than a decade and was assigned on domestic routes.
The incident was the first time Yeh failed an alcohol test, the company said.
The CAA said it had also launched an investigation into the pilot and the airline.
Based on the Aircraft Flight Operation Regulations (航空器飛航作業管理規則), a pilot must not have an alcohol reading of more than 0.1mg per liter.
If the investigation shows that Yeh violated the Civil Aviation Act (民航法), the agency said he could be fined between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000 or be banned from operating any aircraft.
The agency said it could also revoke the pilot’s license if the incident was deemed a serious violation, adding that it is investigating if the airline was negligent in managing its pilots.
The company could receive a warning or be fined between NT$600,000 and NT$3 million if it was found to have been lax in managing its flight crew, the agency said.
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