THE RPTR HAD ALCOHOL IN THE CABIN OF HIS AIRPLANE. AN OBSERVER CONCLUDED THE RPTR WAS DRINKING WHILE FLYING AND NOTIFIED THE AUTHS TO MEET HIM ON ARR AT HIS DEST.

Narrative

ON APR/WED/96 AT APPROX XA30 AM; I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM AUSTIN MUELLER TO CANADIAN; TX; MY HOME BASE. I LOADED THE PLANE AND STARTED THE ENG. I COULD NOT GET MY RADIOS TO WORK PROPERLY. I HAD AN ANNUAL DONE AT HOUSTON HOBBY DURING MARCH; AT WHICH TIME I HAD RADIO WORK DONE TO CORRECT INTERMITTENT RECEIVING AND XMITTING. I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A RECURRING PROB. I WAS ABLE TO GET AVIONICS MAINT ON MULTICOM 122.95. I WAS DIRECTED TO AVIONICS. I WALKED IN TO SPEAK TO THE MGR; WHO FOLLOWED ME TO THE PLANE. ONCE IN THE PLANE; I RECOGNIZED THAT I HAD TUNED THE WRONG FREQ AND THE RADIOS WERE OK. THE MGR WAS IN THE PLANE LESS THAN A MIN. IN ADDITION TO V-8 JUICE; COKE; WATER; LEMONADE AND SNACKS; I CARRY ALCOHOL FOR PAX CONSUMPTION ONLY. THE PLANE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ENCLOSED BAR CABINET; SO THE BOTTLES OF ALCOHOL ARE IN PLAIN SIGHT. I FLEW WITHOUT INCIDENT ON MY IFR FLT PLAN TO CANADIAN; TX; WHERE I WAS MET ON DEPLANING BY A DPS TROOPER. I WAS ACCUSED OF FLYING WHILE INTOXICATED. THE OFFICER HAD OTHER MISINFO INCLUDING THE ALLEGATION THAT I HAD NOT FILLED THE PLANE AND MIGHT RUN OUT OF GAS. I HAD LEFT AUSTIN FOR THE 3 HR FLT WITH FULL TANKS. THE AVIONICS MGR OBVIOUSLY ASSUMED THAT I WAS CONSUMING THE ALCOHOL HE SAW. TO PREVENT FUTURE MISINTERP; I WILL PLACE ANY AND ALL ALCOHOL FOR PAX CONSUMPTION IN AN ENCLOSED CARRYON BAG.