A United Airlines flight traveling from Chicago to Minneapolis diverted to Madison, Wisc., after an unruly passenger made multiple attempts to reach the cockpit, prompting the flight crew to declare a security emergency.
United Flight UA2005, a Boeing 737 carrying 147 passengers and six crew members, landed safely at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison on May 29, with no injuries reported.
According to air traffic control communications, the passenger made repeated attempts to access the cockpit before law enforcement officers who were traveling aboard the aircraft were able to restrain him. The pilot activated transponder code 7500, the emergency signal used to indicate a potential hijacking or unlawful interference with an aircraft.
The passenger, whom authorities identified as a 75-year-old man experiencing a mental health crisis, was detained after the aircraft landed. A United spokesperson told NBC News that Flight UA2005 “landed safely in Madison… to address a security concern with an unruly passenger.”
The Dane County Sheriff's Office deputies took the individual into custody, and the FBI was notified of the investigation. Passenger Mike Rundle told CNN that a disturbance occurred near the front of the aircraft after another traveler observed the man reach toward a flight attendant. Several passengers and officers intervened and escorted him back to his seat.
In air traffic communications that NBC News acquired, flight crew onboard the plane could be heard discussing the attempted cockpit breach with ground control.
“I do not believe they ever cuffed him, but they were able to finally get control of him after multiple attempts to try to breach the cockpit,” a member of the crew said. “I believe at this point he is seated in a seat and flanked with law enforcement officers on either side.”
Rundle said signs of trouble emerged before takeoff from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, when the suspect repeatedly stood during taxiing and crew members sought a Russian-speaking passenger to assist with interpretation.
After landing in Madison, law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft, removed the passenger, and conducted their response. The flight later resumed its trip to Minneapolis, landing early on Saturday morning, data from FlightAware confirmed.
According to FlightAware tracking data, Flight UA2005 had been airborne for roughly 45 minutes after departing Chicago before the incident occurred. The FBI said its Madison Resident Agency and local law enforcement partners responded immediately to the incident.
“A subject was detained by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and afterwards passengers resumed their flight,” a spokesperson for the FBI’s Milwaukee office told NBC News.
Authorities have not released the passenger's name, announced charges, or disclosed additional details about the events that led to his detention. The Federal Aviation Administration said it investigates all passenger disturbance incidents and may pursue civil penalties against passengers who interfere with flight crews. According to the agency, airlines have reported more than 640 unruly passenger incidents so far this year.
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