Continental pilot taken off plane

A Continental plane taxis at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

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HOUSTON, Texas (CNN) -- Continental Airlines removed a pilot from a plane before takeoff Tuesday after receiving a report he might be drunk.

"He did not appear to be fit for duty and we took him off the plane," said Continental spokeswoman Julie King.

She said the pilot, whose name was not released, 'has been removed from service" while the case was under review. King would not elaborate about the alleged incident but said the Federal Aviation Administration had been notified.

Flight 1086 was at the gate at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston preparing to take off for Orlando, Florida, when the pilot left the aircraft.

King said the pilot had not flown other planes during the day.

Earlier this year, two America West pilots were charged with operating an aircraft while intoxicated. Their trial initially was set for October 21 but has been pushed back for two weeks to give the defense and prosecutors more time to prepare.

Prosecutors say the pilots, Thomas Cloyd, 44, and Christopher Hughes, 41, drank at a Miami bar hours before they prepared to take off on a flight to Phoenix.

Prosecutors accuse them of knowing their alleged action could result in harm to others. Both pleaded not guilty to this and two other charges: driving while impaired, a misdemeanor, and operating an aircraft while intoxicated, a felony.

Their trial is scheduled for November 4.

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