A pilot was flying with colleagues on board in his free time – and suddenly tried to crash the plane. The man now has to answer for 83 counts of attempted murder.
Portland – An Alaska Airlines pilot sat in the cockpit with colleagues outside of his duty hours on Sunday. Suddenly the man apparently tried to turn off the machine’s engines. The flight captain on duty and the first officer reacted quickly so that the aircraft could land without incident, said the airline with. On the ground, the FBI and the Portland Police Department took over the investigation.
Incident in the USA: This apparently happened on board Flight 2059
The incident occurred on Flight 2059 from Everett, Washington to San Francisco, California. From a so-called “jump seat” behind the pilots, the man tried to disrupt the operation of the engines. This could have resulted in the plane crashing: there was a “credible security threat,” the airline said in its statement. The quick reaction of the pilot and co-pilot on duty prevented anything worse from happening.
There was no loss of engine power, “and the crew secured the aircraft without incident,” the Alaska Airlines statement said. The British broadcaster BBC had the recordings of the flight communication. “We got the guy who tried to turn off the engines out of the cockpit,” the pilot reported to air traffic control in a matter-of-fact voice. “He doesn’t sound like he’s causing any problems in the back at the moment,” the captain continued. He then called for law enforcement to be present once the plane was on the ground and parked.
Incident on board Flight 2059: Pilot charged with attempted murder
In accordance with FAA procedures and air traffic control instructions, the flight was safely diverted to Portland International Airport, the report said. The 44-year-old accused was taken into custody at the airport. Now the off-duty pilot has to answer for 83 counts of attempted murder.
The FBI, FAA and the Portland Police Department are investigating the incident. The man’s possible motive was initially unclear. The passengers on board were able to continue their journey on a later flight, it said. “We are grateful for their professional approach […] Flight crew with the situation and appreciate the calm and patience of our guests […]“, says Alaska Airlines.
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