Another Alcohol Question

F

Fireball

Guest
So I have searched the threads and have not found a direct answer to this question. Background before question ...

I have a completely clean driving record (there is no record of this incident on my driving record, and I have no record with the NDR), and no alcohol offenses of any sort except this item to be discussed (verifiable with my FBI Criminal History Report), and no tickets or infractions on my 10 year drivers history (including this incident). I also have never had any positive random tests at work. (My work does randoms on everyone here and has since 1998). Usually get at least 1 random per year.

8 years ago in winter (temperature was below freezing), my hybrid car caught on fire and burned due to a hybrid battery malfunction while I was driving to a friends house for a birthday party that was relocating from a restaurant to their house. While driving, I saw flames out sideview mirror and stopped the car and exited. Within 30 seconds of exiting, the car was engulfed in flames. When exiting, I grabbed my cell phone and what was in the front passenger seat which was a birthday gift bag for the birthday person containing cinnamon liquor (their favorite and requested). I did not grab my coat or anything else when I exited. The location was fairly remote and not a lot of traffic.

The birthday celebration had started at lunch and continued until midnight, before breaking to head to a private residence (so over the course of a little over 12 hours) with 10-12 participants. My total alcohol consumption over the day before driving was 5 beers plus 1 "birthday shot" with no more than a single alcohol beverage every hour to 2 hours. My last drink before driving was 7:30 so about 4.5 hours before leaving. In between alcohol beverages I consumed two meals and several glasses of water and Diet Coke. Conservative estimate of BAC at that time was 0.04 based on weight, time, and quantity.

While the car was burning, another car stops that had college students in transit somewhere, to see if assistance was needed. I was freaking out for almost dying. They hand me a small bottle of vodka (~5 ounces I believe). I foolishly drank it while watching my car continue burning. I regained my composure and called 911 to get the fire department and police coming to the location. A few minutes later I proceed to get sick from the taste of the vodka the stress of the situation. I had nothing else available to get the puke taste out of my mouth, so to add to my stupidity I opened the cinnamon whisky and drank 4-6 ounces of it. The fire department arrives about 20 minutes later and proceeds to get the fire under control. The FD actually tell me I should call a friend and leave the scene, however I (foolish mistake number 3 or 4) chose to wait for the police. The police officer arrives about 30 minutes later (about an hour and a half after drinking the fireball.

The police office then makes me perform DUI tests, which I fail miserably at this point. I'm freezing from being outside without a coat plus the alcohol and the stress.The officer arrests me and takes me to the hospital (another 20 minutes away) and has blood drawn. BAC comes in at 0.17. Charged with DUI. The DUI is reduced to reckless driving, and there was no administrative actions at anytime to my license. The only record of the DUI charge is in the criminal report from the FBI. There is no record of reckless driving or DUI or anything else on my driving record. The layer requested substance abuse evaluation done 8 years ago for the charge came back favorable.

So now 8 years later, I finally have enough savings that I am considering getting my Pilots License. I have not be abstinent over the 8 years, my normal alcohol consumption is 1-2 glasses of wine or 1-2 beer 1-2 times per month. The most I have drink since the arrest is 3 beverages in a day, and the most consecutive days in a row has been 3. realistically, since the arrest, I have had alcohol beverages on 150 days of the 8 years (3000 days), and maybe 25o beverages total in that time.

Assuming I am able to get a favorable evaluation from a substance abuse specialist acceptable to FAA, what is the likelihood of being able to get a 3rd class medical without choosing to never drink again in my life? I have no desire to do anything other than 3rd class.

If the answer is very low probability, what steps would be required to be able to attain a 3rd class medical for someone with a single incident with 0.17 BAC from 8 years and a new favorable evaluation? And what kind of time frame is required?
 
Ouch. I know commercial pilots with a lot more than that on their record. I don't think 3rd class medical cares, maybe the FAA, but 8 years ago is a long time, especially for a PPL...
 
Granted, I've drank a few already, but something is troublesome with your timeline.

Your car catches fire due to a battery issue and starts burning up, and you grab your phone and call your friends and celebrate in to the night, and then afterwards you call the fire department?

In terms of the legal issue I wouldn't sweat it. By California law you have had to have been witnessed driving. Most other States are the same. Not all but most.

Still....

Dude...
 
i should also say, after I complete my training I fully expect or plan to revert to BasicMed, but since the BAC 8 years ago was 0.17, the medical will be deferred until I receive one so I can just be on BasicMed. But I do want to fly 4 or 6 seat planes so Sport Pilot is not sufficient.
 
#1. Seek the assistance of a very well qualified HIMS AME such as Dr. Bruce Chien. But humble and honest and willing to pay his more than reasonable fee to manage your case. Follow his directions to the letter on what to do.

#2. Do not continue to post to an Internet forum for advice in your case until #1 is 100% complete.


For some background on the process of gaining a medical when DUI is in your background and the SI route is the required path, read post #1 of this thread: https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/my-journey-to-special-issuance-medical.101639/
 
0.17 is very hard to certify even if you can verify that tale. I'm not going to write exactly what the medical officers at OKC are going to think of that tale, either. It would Not be kind. It's sort of an "either he really has tolerance" (which is FAA supertough definition of dependency), or "his drinking while his car is burning" says very negative things about judgement to be a pilot......it's along those lines....

And if we go the "recovered alcoholic" route, you can't really claim five years of abstinence. I don't see any way around the full HIMS psychiatrist evaluation.....(think 3K investigation...).

Your only hope is that you did truly miserably on the roadside sobriety check (fell down, looked sloppy drunk etc...e.g. Obviously had no tolerance. But the JUDGEMENT. OMGosh.

I've heard a lot of tales and I suppose there is some truth to this one because "I can't imagine making this one up..."

:(
 
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