Good morning. How are you? >> You doing okay? >> Yeah, fine. >> When was the last time you had something to drink? >> Last night. >> Before you watch this, let this sink in. A commercial jet was moments away from pushing back from the gate. And the person responsible for getting everyone home safely was allegedly too drunk to fly. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> This isn't a rumor. It's not a headline. It's caught on body cam. I'm going to do the eyes first. Just watch it cuz obviously I know you're not certified so like I have to do it but just watch for clues and stuff. >> The slurred words, the confident denial, the sudden realization when it all starts collapsing in real time. And here's the part that won't leave your mind. The passengers had no idea. They were strapped in trusting the system, trusting the uniform. Watch the full video because by the end you'll be asking one question over and over. How close did this come to becoming a tragedy? On January 12th, 2025, at approximately 6:00 p.m., officers responded to the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport in Savannah, Georgia, after a Southwest Airlines pilot, identified as 52-year-old David Alop arrived for duty heavily intoxicated. The aircraft was already loaded with passengers, and since it was a Southwest Boeing 737, it likely would have carried around 175 people. You can now watch the full body cam footage of the Southwest pilot's DUI arrest in this video. It's the kind of incident that makes your stomach drop because it forces one chilling question. When you board a jet and buckle your seat belt, do you really know who's in the cockpit? Hello. >> Hello. Good morning. >> Morning. >> Morning. >> Good morning. >> Yeah. Right click. >> Say again. >> Morning, sir. >> Morning. How are you? >> You doing okay? >> Yeah, fine. >> When was the last time you had some drinks? >> Last night. >> About how many hours ago? >> Uh, like 10 hours ago at least. >> How many drinks did you have? >> A few beers, sir. >> To find a few beers. Few beers. >> Define a few beers. >> It's free. >> Okay. Yeah. >> What' you drink? >> Light beer. Nobody. >> Nobody. Yeah. >> Anything else? >> Nope. >> Okay. >> Who are you with? >> My f up. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Would you be willing to provide uh feel soiety with me right now? >> No. >> Why not? >> There's no need. >> Well, I can smell an odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage. Oh, sorry. Okay, >> these >> gross. >> You have any fresh ones that haven't been in your mouth? >> Yeah. >> David Alop tries to play it off with mints, hoping they'll fool the officers, but as you'll see, they can still smell the alcohol on him right away. >> Did you smell it? or just smells mini. So my I don't have a PBT like fully booked. Okay, here's the deal. We know what does that mean? 8 hours separation from the last you have that. So we already had a report that said that it was possible might be some deliberation. Someone detected smell alcohol and then they reported guys who would have done just we got the call. There's >> I can sense or I can have a I have a smell of a an adult coming off of you. I don't know if it's coming out your mouth or your skin. If it's coming out the pork I get it. But uh we got to do our thing. So you know >> do I see him? >> Would you do field sobriety? >> Sure. >> Do you have a jacket or something? Cuz it's kind of cold outside. >> I'm going to do the eyes first. watch it cuz obviously I know you're not certified so like I have to do it but just watch for clues and stuff >> cuz it's this will be a brand new uncharit. >> Yeah. >> You guys want to talk to the flight attendants? They were there too. >> Okay, we'll do that. We'll go ahead and do 17. David insists the flight attendants were drinking with him, too. And they may have been the ones who reported him after seeing how bad it really was. And if that's true, it raises one chilling question. How did it get this close to taking off anyway? >> This can go quickly, but just >> Okay. So, do you have any health issues? Anything? I'm sorry, you're a pilot, so you can't have any crazy health issues or any problem or anything. I noticed you wear contact or glasses. So, what I'm just going to ask you to do, let >> me just go >> away from the passenger. Sure. >> Okay. So, all I need you to do is the tip of my pen right here, this little white tip. >> I'm going to move it back and forth. I need you to follow it with your eyes and your eyes only. >> Do you understand that? >> You don't have any issues doing that for me? Okay. So, just pay attention to the tip of the spinner. Okay. David can't keep his head still and his eyes are darting and jumping instead of tracking smoothly. All right, for this next exercise, um I know it's kind of difficult cuz it's kind of at an incline. Um but just on here on this most flat surface and I need you to take a series of heel toe steps. I'm going to explain it to you. What you're going to do is you're going to put your left foot or your right foot, whichever is more comfortable. I'm left-handed, so I'm using my right foot first. You're going to go heel toe. And if you just take a step to the side really quick, you're just going to take a series of heel toe steps and count out loud. One, two, three, four, five. You're going to do that till you get to 10. Make sure you count out loud. Make sure you go heel toe. Don't look down. Don't put your arms out for balance if you have any issues with that. No problem. >> No problem. >> I'll go up here so I can get 12. >> You can start right there. >> All right. You ready? >> Yeah. You may begin. >> 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> 9 go the other way. >> David looks slightly off balance at moments, but the real problem comes at the end. He even loses track of the instructions and takes 10 steps instead of nine. That's a clear fail on the walk and turn. >> All right. All right, if you step down on this little platform. All right. So, this next test is called the one-legged stand. So, what you're going to do is whichever foot you prefer, whichever one you feel like you have a stronger balance with, you're just going to with your hands at your side, put your foot out in front of you like this, and you're going to hold it. You're just going to count out loud. 1 1000 2 100 3 100 until I tell you to stop. >> Okay? >> Don't start until I tell you to begin. Do you understand these instructions? >> Sure. >> All right. Here we begin. One 100 1,000 2 100 3 100 5 100 600 700 8 1,000 9 [clears throat] 100 11 100 1,000 13 100 14 100 15 100 1600 Okay, you can stop. >> Um, just do me a favor and just hang out really quick. Here's a mint back. I just got to go talk to them before. Okay. Um but I definitely saw that. So >> yeah. So at this point, what would it be? Do you less safe doesn't not used to dealing with an intoxicated pilot and usually only handling drunk drivers, the officers step aside to huddle up and decide what to do next because he barely squeaked through the field sobriety test. >> Yeah. Uh being that there's not a sergeant on duty coming in, that's where I'm really going. What's going on? So my name is Coral Best. I'm a supervisor right now with the airport police department. Um so just you guys know I had a few drinks last night. >> I I met here and we had a drink. Yeah. >> So my problem is is that right now Sam's talking to you. I don't know anything coming off of you. I can smell a very strong odor alcohol beverage coming off of him. And that's a huge issue regardless in general whether we were standing on the side of the road camera was right next to you bigger issue because there's what probably there's not that many people. It doesn't matter. That's not the point. Yeah. But the issue is I can detect it. And so obviously I don't know where you guys are based. I don't know where the hub is, but with the FSD that I just put him through. He did exhibit sign and impairment on top of the auto officer as well. So I am going to make phone call to my supervisor, but there's a very strong possibility or very strong probability that he's going to be taking a shot at detention center for the local operating aircraft while intoxicated. So if you need to start making some roll calls on your squad and start doing any blood kits down there still blood test that I'm aware of usually I just do it on the side of the road or they go back to the station. Okay. So got problems. >> Mhm. And when I just talked to him, he immediately dropped his head as soon as I started talking. He's like, "Yeah, we went out for drinks." And I was like, "Okay, my issue is you smokers are fine. You freaks." And I was like, "Can I put it to his team?" He's exhibiting strong signs. So I've already told him why start making the phone calls cuz Yeah, I told the um for operating. Yeah, cuz it's commercial. You can't have any impairment on a commercial aircraft. Just like CDLs, >> you know, they they don't have a presumptive uh alcohol. So, >> um >> All right. So, do you have any personal belongings on a plane? >> I do. >> What do you have on there? Just like your go bag and like a >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so my issue is is I'm trained in standardized field sobriety and you've exhibited strong signs and even after speaking with your first pilot. Like >> the issue is would you agree to a blood draw to test your blood alcohol content? >> Okay. Well, the issue is is when you agreed to the field sobriety, you exhibited the symptoms and if you're refusing to a blood draw, that's that's DUI less safe than the willful intention to operate commercial aircraft. >> Seriously? >> Yes, sir. >> How did I fail? I got everything. >> The signs that you exhibited during those three tests, I'm able to articulate based off those and the odor coming off of your person. It's very consistent with DUI. >> Okay. >> Well, yeah. >> So, what do you want me to do? >> So, what's going to happen is if you if you don't agree to a blood draw, it'll be DUI less safe. you'll be booked into the Chapman County Detention Center and you can we'll give you a phone call. You can more than likely because it's what? Tuesday. It's a weekday. But that that's the route that the I have to take unfortunately. Okay. >> Okay. And if I did agree to a blood draw, then what? >> I mean that that's just it's a it's good part of the ongoing investigation that it's like, you know, I did my part, but it's like your blood is the the non-negotiable. like that'll prove whether or not >> it is >> what it is. >> Mhm. >> So, >> okay. Yeah. Well, >> but obviously I can't coach you in it. You have your right. You said no. So, based off that alone and based off the feels so bright that you >> even if I gave you blood nothing would change. >> Okay. >> Right. >> That that that is your willful choice that you were willing to make. But based off the calls that we received stating that people down in TSA could smell what smelled like alcohol coming off of your breath and they're not trained. I am trained in odor hall odor and alcohol impairment. >> That's fine. I mean nothing's going to change your mind. [clears throat] I didn't even talk to TSA today. I went to KCM >> that it's operated by TSA, >> right? Okay. So, all right. I'll get my stuff, but whatever you got to do. >> Okay. My officer is um going to grab your stuff. If you don't mind, we're just going to head up to the patrol car. So, that way we don't have to do all in front of the public eye. As long as you just be cool, I'll be cool. >> Oh, absolutely. But yeah, I'd like to um I mean, I can't prove myself. >> Yeah, if you would like to, we can do that. >> Yeah. Do you want some time or you want me to take it? >> Well, just cuz I'm going to have to do the report if you don't mind taking refused blood. Excuse me. I want to get X 751 749. If you are off property, can you be back here? >> Do you have any bottles going up here? >> Um, I can. >> How do you feel about water? We have >> No, I was afraid it was going to >> No, we just easier to recycle. >> And it's a little cold. >> [snorts] >> ground power and they engage you. [snorts] >> Um, now really quickly, like I said, I'm going to be cool with you. I know it's a shitty scenario. Um, do you have like a driver's license with you? Like I know you have all your airport credentials with you. I just keep that just for documentational purposes. I hate having two phones. And [snorts] then you mind just taking off the lanyard so I can take a picture of your Southwest credentials, too? You just stand face away from me. Oh, hang on. Before you settle, just place your hand on your back for me. Palms up. >> David Alop was charged with DUI and booked into the Chattam County Jail, then released on a $3,500 bond. Afterward, Southwest removed him from duty and later reporting indicated he was no longer employed, while the FAA revoked his pilot certificate with the option to reapply after a year under FAA settlement terms. And reports also noted the case may fall under federal jurisdiction with no federal charges filed as of the latest update that was publicly reported. 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