Engineer found drunk in cockpit

The aircraft had been due to fly from Aberdeen to Amsterdam

An airport engineer who was found under the influence of alcohol in the cockpit of an aeroplane while carrying out emergency repairs has been fined £400.

Rajoo Loganathan, 57, was called in to fix an aircraft owned by Dutch airline KLM as it prepared to fly from Aberdeen Airport to Amsterdam.

He was arrested after staff found him sitting in the cockpit smelling strongly of alcohol.

Loganathan was later found to be 2.5 times the legal alcohol limit.

Fiscal depute Ian Warburton told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: "The accused was carrying out maintenance on the aircraft and was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.

"When police found him, his eyes were glazed, his speech was slurred and he smelt strongly of alcohol."

He accepts there was a great under-estimation of the amount of alcohol he consumed Ian MacGregor Defence solicitor

Loganathan's solicitor, Iain MacGregor, explained that his client had been downing glasses of whisky to relieve back pain.

The court heard Loganathan had been working non-stop for 21 days when he was called to carry out the repairs on 11 March. He had started work at 0400 BST that morning despite not finishing his shift the previous night until 2330 BST.

Mr MacGregor said: "He accepts there was a great under-estimation of the amount of alcohol he consumed.

"He was the sole engineer on duty and had to work as and when required."

Loganathan had worked as an airport engineer across the UK and Europe for almost 40 years and had a previously unblemished record, the court heard. He will now face an investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority.

'Very unfortunate'

Mr MacGregor added: "He's not proud of himself or the embarrassment he has brought on himself and his family.

"This is the only work he has ever done but there is a very strong possibility that he will not work in this capacity again in the future."

Loganathan, of Dyce, Aberdeenshire, admitted breaching the Railways and Transport Safety Act.

He was caught with a breath reading of 93mg of alcohol, when the limit is 35mg.

Sentencing Loganathan, Sheriff Kieran McLernan told him: "It is very unfortunate indeed that after a record such as yours it should end in this way."

The CAA said it would investigate the case before deciding on the appropriate action.

A spokeswoman added: "If there was a safety issue concerning a worker on board a plane, for example if someone was guilty of being over the legal alcohol limit, then we would have the power to suspend, limit or revoke their licence."