FAA revoked Medical after first DUI
 

Hi All - I'm currently a CFII multiengine, fairly low time pilot. Last year I received a DWI, which I reported correctly to the FAA and followed up when they requested more information.
My BAC was admittedly quite high at the time of arrest - 0.21. The FAA responded to me that they were revoking my medical due to "Tolerance", but provided no additional information. I had court ordered alcohol treatment as well as 2 months meeting with an psychologist alcohol counselor, who determined I do not have alcohol abuse / dependence and that it was an isolated, albeit irresponsible one time incident.
This report was part of what I had sent the FAA when they came back and said "tolerance".

I responded to their letter asking for more information and the next steps, and have heard nothing for 4 months now. As far as I know, my certificate is still valid - just the medical was revoked.

I don't even know the next step - contact a lawyer? Is this something that I can even come back from? From what I read, most people do not even have a problem with 1 DUI, and some people are still flying with 2.

Thanks for the advice,
Joe

Assuming you are clean and sober now and have been since the incident, seek out a HIMS AME and he/she will be able to quide you. Lot of hoops . . . but it is the way back!

I keep saying that DUIs are strange offenses. Everyone makes mistakes but that one is treated as if you had killed someone. It is mostly because of the amount of political attention that DUIs receive.

I bet your your medical was revoked because your bac was above .149.

Best of luck.

Well if that's not the understatement of the year....I don't know what is.





atp

Joe, I would guess that due to the .21bac, they can hang you out to dry due to a lack of judgement.
A NWA crew was faced with similar aftr flying from Far to Msp. If I remember correctly, The FE and FO claimed it was a one time thing, they lost their licenses and went to federal prison while the Capt., claimed he had a problem and went to rehab and got his job back, wrote a book appeared on tv and retired with lot$ of good stuff.....

AOPA Medical and Legal

The Captain ended up federal prison, believe the other pilots also served time.

I believe the Captain got pardoned and came back to NWA in the role of Sim Instructor or similar and retired with full benefits.

He was pardoned after spending time in federal prison, he came back...aft getting all of his lic back, think he did the sim thing and retired.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will be in contact with AOPA medical and legal. Unfortunately, while I subscribe to AOPA, I did not opt in to the medical or legal at the time of the arrest / conviction.