Overview

• The newly released body-camera video shows Savannah/Hilton Head airport police confronting Captain David Paul Allsop after TSA screeners reported smelling alcohol and telling him he could not fly.
• Allsop, who told officers he had “a few light beers” and later blamed nicotine gum, failed a field sobriety test on the jet bridge and was arrested on DUI charges on January 15.
• Southwest Flight 3772 to Chicago Midway remained at the gate for nearly five hours while the airline secured a replacement pilot and accommodated affected passengers.
• The case was forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for potential federal prosecution, the FAA revoked Allsop’s pilot certificate in March, and Southwest confirmed by July that he was no longer employed.
• The incident highlights challenges in enforcing the FAA’s eight-hour “bottle-to-throttle” rule and prompts renewed examination of airline protocols for detecting and managing suspected crew impairment.