AA Pilot Charged With Reporting For Flight Drunk

June 14, 2006
Pilot arrested shortly before his flight from Manchester to Chicago was due to take off.

An American Airlines pilot was charged Wednesday with being drunk when he reported for duty to fly a jet to the United States.

James Yates, of Ohio, a first officer, was arrested at Manchester Airport on Feb. 11. He has been free on bail since then, but was scheduled to attend a court hearing in Manchester Thursday.

Yates, who was arrested shortly before his flight to Chicago was due to take off, was charged with being unfit for duty under transportation safety laws. There were 209 passengers aboard the Boeing 767 jet.