The spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in a statement issued here on Sunday referred to a news item in the media regarding the unacceptable level of blood alcohol and lactate in the blood sample of Captain Asmat Mehmood, the pilot in command of M/s Shaheen Air International flight No NL-142, crash landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore on 3rd November 2015.
The CAA spokesman pointed out that as per the Pakistan Civil Aviation Rules (CAR) approved by the government, no alcohol level is acceptable in the blood of any pilot, cockpit crew, cabin crew and passengers. However, the Federal Aviation Authority USA permits the blood alcohol level up to 40mg per decilitre, he added.
The CAA spokesman in his statement said the medical investigation reports of cockpit crew of M/s Shaheen Air International flight No NL-142 just after the incident revealed that the pilot in command had unacceptable level of blood alcohol and lactate. The lactate indicates that the pilot was fatigued and had been drinking alcohol.
It is further stated that the alcohol level in the blood sample of Captain Asmat Mehmood was 83mg per decilitre which was more than the double of the permissible amount by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), USA.
Since the amount of alcohol was doubled of the permissible amount by FAA, USA. It had affected the central nervous impairment and also leads the pilot towards errors of judgement, the CAA spokesman Pervez George added.