A Columbus pilot has been sentenced to jail time overseas for being under the influence of alcohol while preparing to fly from Scotland to New Jersey.
Paul Brady Grebenc, 35, of Columbus and Carlos Roberto Licona, 46, of Humble, Texas, were arrested in August for violating Britain’s Railways and Transport Safety Act due to inebriation.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, Grebenc was sentenced to 10 months in jail in Paisley Sheriff Court. Licona also received a 10-month sentence in early March.
Grebenc and Licona were scheduled to fly a Boeing 757 from Glasgow Airport in Scotland to Newark, New Jersey. The flight, which was delayed for nine hours after both pilots were removed from the plane, was scheduled to depart at 9 a.m. local time, according to the BBC. There were 141 passengers on the plane.
A blood sample revealed that Grebenc had 42 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, which is well over the 20 milligram flying limit.
Grebenc is a Fort Worth, Colorado, native who now lives in Columbus.
A major in the U.S. Air Force, Grebenc has served as a pilot in the 43rd Flying Training Squadron at Columbus Air Force Base since 2012, according to CAFB’s public affairs office. The 43rd Flying Training Squadron is a part of the Air Force Reserve Command’s 22nd Air Force and provides associate instructor pilots to augment a cadre of active duty Air Education and Training Command instructor pilots.
Grebenc was not flying for the Air Force at the time of the incident, but CAFB Chief of Public Affairs Sonic Johnson confirmed to The Dispatch that Grebenc is still a pilot with the 43rd Flying Training Squadron.
Master Sgt. Amanda Savannah with CAFB’s public affairs office told The Dispatch that Grebenc’s superiors will “review the situation” to determine if he will face any military discipline.
In a statement issued to the Dispatch, United Airlines said Grebenc is no longer with the company.
“We hold all of our employees to the highest standards,” said UA spokesman Jonathan Guerin. “This pilot was immediately removed from service and his flying duties in August 2016.”
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