FAA head resigns after DWI arrest in Va.

WASHINGTON - Randy Babbitt says he will resign as head of the Federal Aviation Administration following his arrest over the weekend on charges of drunken driving.

Babbitt said in a statement Tuesday that he didn't want to allow anything to "cast a shadow" on the work done by his colleagues at the FAA.

The 65-year-old Babbitt was arrested Saturday night in Fairfax City, Va., by a patrolman who said the FAA administrator was driving on the wrong side of the road.

City of Fairfax Police said at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, an officer saw a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the road on Old Lee Highway and initiated a traffic stop.

The officer determined that Babbit was under the influence of alcohol.

Babbitt was transported to the Adult Detention Center and placed on a personal recognizance bond.

Babbitt was the only person in the car, wasn't involved in a crash, and fully cooperated with the officer, police said.

Babbitt was sworn in as head of FAA in 2009, having previous served as chairman of the agency's Management Advisory Council, which provides guidance on such topics as air traffic modernization and regulatory policy.

Babbitt was a pilot with Eastern Airlines for 25 years, and was President of the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). He was also a partner at Oliver Wyman, an international management consulting firm.