A Norwegian pilot has been sentenced to 75 days unconditional imprisonment after using cocaine and alcohol the night before he was to fly from Tromsø.
Co-pilot from Norwegian thought he was drug-free, but passed a prison sentence on the spot. Photo: RUNE STOLTZ BERTINUSSEN
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The pilot in his 30s has been convicted in Nedre Romerike District Court for violating the Aviation Act and for using cocaine.
In court, he made an unreserved confession. He explained that the night before he had ingested what he described as “a large amount” of cocaine in addition to large amounts of alcohol in a short period of time before he went to bed, reports Romerikes Blad.
The man was going to work as a co-pilot on a flight from Tromsø to Gran Canaria when he was stopped by the police in a routine check on 22 February this year.
He blew red and was immediately taken to the emergency room, where he gave a blood and urine sample. Traces of both alcohol and cocaine were then found, corresponding to a per mille of at least 0.5.
– This is a personnel matter, and we do not comment on personnel matters, says press contact Christer Baardsen in Norwegian to Aftenposten.
Thought he was sober
The pilot explained that he no longer thought he was under the influence of drugs when he arrived at work in the morning. But this was not enough to free him from punishment.
“In the court’s view, he should have understood that he could still be influenced so that he should not have appeared for service that day. He is considered by the court to have not been sufficiently careful in light of the strict requirements for care that are imposed on persons flying aircraft, with the great responsibility and potential damage this entails “, it is stated in the judgment.
The pilot passed the verdict on the spot.
The prosecution wanted to revoke his right to fly in Norway for one year. This was not done, however, when Nedre Romerike District Court did not find it authorized to revoke his pilot’s license.
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