B737 flight crew has passenger suggest that one of the pilots smells of alcohol. Flight crew immedia...

Attributes
ACN	689287
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	689287
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

After pushing back from gate; we were informed during the start of engine #1 that a passenger in the front row had commented that one of the pilots had smelled like alcohol. We shut down the engines and returned to the gate to question the passenger. We were met by station personnel trained to handle these sits. The passenger; who pre-boarded in a wheelchair; showed no difficulty walking into the jetway to answer our questions. She denied making any comments about alcohol and said she was joking. Another passenger told us she had made comments to the effect that one of the pilots had been drinking; but it was a joke. I informed them both that such comments had to be taken seriously and that we (the pilots) had not been drinking. The captain contacted the chief pilot regarding the situation. They agreed to have trained alcohol observers from the station certify our sobriety. This was done in the jetway; we re-entered the plane and departed without incidents. The passenger involved in making the comments were offered alternate flight arrangements; if they felt uncomfortable with our ability to safely fly. Once again; they said it was all a joke and chose to continue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW HAS PAX SUGGEST THAT ONE OF THE PLTS SMELLS OF ALCOHOL. FLT CREW IMMEDIATELY RETURNS TO GATE AND HAS QUALIFIED PERSONNEL CERTIFY SOBRIETY.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHING BACK FROM GATE; WE WERE INFORMED DURING THE START OF ENG #1 THAT A PAX IN THE FRONT ROW HAD COMMENTED THAT ONE OF THE PLTS HAD SMELLED LIKE ALCOHOL. WE SHUT DOWN THE ENGS AND RETURNED TO THE GATE TO QUESTION THE PAX. WE WERE MET BY STATION PERSONNEL TRAINED TO HANDLE THESE SITS. THE PAX; WHO PRE-BOARDED IN A WHEELCHAIR; SHOWED NO DIFFICULTY WALKING INTO THE JETWAY TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS. SHE DENIED MAKING ANY COMMENTS ABOUT ALCOHOL AND SAID SHE WAS JOKING. ANOTHER PAX TOLD US SHE HAD MADE COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT ONE OF THE PLTS HAD BEEN DRINKING; BUT IT WAS A JOKE. I INFORMED THEM BOTH THAT SUCH COMMENTS HAD TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND THAT WE (THE PLTS) HAD NOT BEEN DRINKING. THE CAPT CONTACTED THE CHIEF PLT REGARDING THE SIT. THEY AGREED TO HAVE TRAINED ALCOHOL OBSERVERS FROM THE STATION CERTIFY OUR SOBRIETY. THIS WAS DONE IN THE JETWAY; WE RE-ENTERED THE PLANE AND DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENTS. THE PAX INVOLVED IN MAKING THE COMMENTS WERE OFFERED ALTERNATE FLT ARRANGEMENTS; IF THEY FELT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH OUR ABILITY TO SAFELY FLY. ONCE AGAIN; THEY SAID IT WAS ALL A JOKE AND CHOSE TO CONTINUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

B737 flight crew has passenger suggest that one of the pilots smells of alcohol. Flight crew immediately returns to gate and has qualified personnel certify sobriety.