Loaded for takeoff?

January 4, 2013 (WABC) -- Engines. Check.

Flaps. Check.

Brakes. Check.

Pilot not drinking. Oh... Wait.

A disturbing story involving an American Eagle plane from Minneapolis headed to LaGuardia Airport -- a pilot, allegedly smelling of alcohol, taken into custody before takeoff. He did pull off some pre-flight checks when he was given a breathalyzer - and failed.

Blood alcohol levels are different for pilots - 0.04%, half of what the legal limit is in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

And it dang well should be. In fact, shouldn't it be zero? I'm just sayin'.

As for the passengers - well, you can just imagine.

We'll have the latest at 11.

Also at 11 - we'll have the latest on the conditions of those three New York cops, shot last night during a wild night of gun violence.

Two cops shot on a subway in Brooklyn, and off-duty officer shot by would-be robbers at his family's car dealership.

Guns on the streets. Again.

And what's up on Staten Island? The folks there - battered by Sandy and still suffering - are angry with Google for capturing "street view" images of the damage. Say what? Haven't we been showing video of all this damage since Oct. 29? NOW they're sensitive about it?

I have huge sympathy for the peeps who have suffered so much - first because of Mother Nature, and then because of their government. But this is just over-reaction, in my humble opinion.

We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Meteorologist Lee Goldberg's AccuWeather forecast, and Rob Powers with the night's sports. I hope you can join Sade Baderinwa and me, tonight at 11, right after 20/20.

BILL RITTER

Subscribe to my page on Facebook at facebook.com/billritter.wabc.

Follow my tweets at www.twitter.com/billritter7.

Click here to send a comment.

Get more Eyewitness News »

eyewitness news, bill ritter

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•