Southwest Airlines Pilot Caught Allegedly Drunk Before Flight, Raising Safety Worries

At Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport this January, law enforcement stopped Southwest pilot David Allsop after he stumbled through field tests minutes before his scheduled Chicago flight.

A sharp-eyed TSA worker first caught wind of trouble at the 6 a.m. checkpoint. The security footage, just made public per Yahoo.com, shows the agent telling police: "I smell alcohol on his breath."

Officers found Allsop in the cockpit running through his checklist. Under questioning, he admitted drinking "three" Miller Lites, claiming "ten hours ago at least." The admission came through clearly on police video.

On the jet bridge, Officer Josiah Best picked up the scent right away. "Well I can smell an odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage." Allsop tried passing it off as nicotine pouches.

At first, the pilot pushed back against testing. "There's no need," he insisted. When he finally went through with it, he couldn't track a moving pen or keep his balance on one foot.

Allsop dug in his heels at the blood test request. His words rang with defiance: "Even if I gave you blood, nothing would change. Nothing's going to change your mind."

Rules from the Federal Aviation Administration strictly ban flying within 8 hours of drinking or with a blood alcohol level above 0.04%. They've since stripped Allsop of his wings.

Southwest acted swiftly once word got out. Their Friday statement was brief but clear: they had "removed [Allsop] from duty immediately after the alleged incident and is no longer employed by Southwest Airlines."

His attorney, David Chaiken, stands firm in his defense per NBCNews.com: "The recently released bodycam video confirms what should be obvious to anyone who watches it — Captain Allsop committed no crime. Experts who have reviewed the video have concluded that the tests that led to his arrest were not performed correctly."

The state of Georgia hasn't dropped its case against Allsop. Public interest spiked after officials released footage showing the tense standoff between the pilot and the police.