Passenger disrupts
flight heading
to HonoluluThe Tennessee man's actions don't
appear to be a terrorist act
A 31-year-old Tennessee man allegedly tried to break into the cockpit of a plane en route to Honolulu from Detroit yesterday and was arrested by FBI agents when the aircraft landed.
The man is expected to be charged with interference with a flight crew, a felony with a possible 5-year prison term, and make his initial appearance in federal court today, said U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo. He was held in the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu.
He did not have a weapon, said state Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa. And the man's actions do not appear to be an attempted act of terrorism, according to a written statement from Honolulu FBI Special Agent In Charge Charles Goodwin.
Ishikawa said the man boarded a flight in Nashville, Tenn., then transferred to Northwest Airlines flight 923 in Detroit. The DC-10 departed Detroit at 9:10 a.m. and arrived on time in Honolulu at 2:30 p.m., airline officials said.
The man was traveling alone, Kubo said.
About two hours prior to the flight's scheduled landing, the man, who was seated in the first class section, attempted to break into the cockpit and was subdued by a female flight attendant, Ishikawa said.
The FBI said the man initially became agitated and would not remain in his seat. He subsequently became more unruly and was subdued then restrained by crew members, according to Goodwin's statement.
"He was under the influence of something or he had some instability due to some chemical reaction," Kubo said.
Two off-duty Northwest pilots watched over the man until the plane landed in Honolulu, said Thomas Becher, Northwest spokesman. Waiting for him were two FBI agents and six state deputy sheriffs.
Kubo said the government has always taken seriously acts by individuals who attempt to interfere with flight crews.
"Especially in these days, post 9/11, and we are extremely sensitive now while we are in orange," he said, referring to the second-highest level of terrorism alert.