Southwest Airlines Pilot Removed from Cockpit Amid Intoxication Allegations
Recently released bodycam footage captures a tense incident from January, where police reportedly had to remove a Southwest Airlines pilot from the cockpit for allegedly being intoxicated.
Captain David Allsap arrived at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia before 6 a.m. According to reports, TSA agents noticed that he emitted the smell of alcohol. It’s said that Allsap had boarded the aircraft and begun pre-flight checks before law enforcement intervened and took him into custody.
In the bodycam footage, an officer asks, “When was the last thing you had to drink?” Allsap replies that it was “last night” and suggests it had been at least 10 hours since he last consumed alcohol. It’s reported that he acknowledged having a few beers the night prior.
The officer then inquires, “Are you willing to offer me local drinking now?” to which Allsap responds, “No, there’s no need,” referring to a sobriety test. Despite the captain’s denial, the officer insists, noting the smell of alcohol. Allsap claims the odor may be from nicotine gum. He opted to take the tests but reportedly failed two of the three assessments, appearing to refuse a blood test.
He stated regarding the blood draw, “If I give you blood, nothing will change.” Reports indicate that Southwest employees requested police to postpone Allsap’s detention, citing a protocol to manage their own drug and alcohol evaluations. An officer, however, clarified over the phone, “No, I can’t. I have to work first in Georgia.” WJCL mentioned attempts to seek clarity from the airline were met with limited responses due to legal and personnel issues.
In July, the Federal Aviation Administration revoked Allsap’s pilot license, while criminal charges against him are still pending.
A spokesperson from Southwest Airlines issued a statement following the incident, acknowledging awareness of the situation involving Flight 3,772 but added that Allsap had been “excluded from mission.”
