A 19-year-old student aboard an Alaska Airlines flight from California to Virginia last week allegedly attempted to storm the plane’s cockpit numerous times throughout the journey, authorities said.
According to an affidavit by Federal Air Marshal Thomas Pattinson, passenger Nathan Jones tried to enter the cockpit of Alaska Airlines Flight 322 three times while the plane was in the air on March 3.
Pattinson wrote that Jones “interfered and intimidated flight crew members and attendants.”
While on the flight, which travelled from San Diego to Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport, Jones was assigned seat 6E, though he allegedly continued to leave his seat in favour of trying to open the cockpit door.
When flight attendants asked Jones why he was attempting to gain access to the cockpit, he told the staff he was “testing them.”
After his third attempt, flight staff asked for the assistance of two off-duty law enforcement officers, who were able to restrain Jones in plastic flex handcuffs. The officers also sat on either side of Jones for the remainder of the flight.
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The flight deck was locked down while flight attendants used a manned beverage cart to act as a barrier to the cockpit.
After landing in Washington, Jones consented to have his belongings searched, and agents found “multiple notebooks with writings describing how to operate an aircraft, including take-off, in-air, and landing techniques,” authorities claimed. In his wallet, officials found a student-level pilot licence.
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Police at the Washington airport contacted the FBI, who assisted in arresting Jones once the flight had landed.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told CBS News Jones was charged with interference with flight crew members, an offence that can carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
Jones himself has not commented on the incident, though his family, through their lawyers, told CBS they are concerned for Jones’ mental health and well-being.
“The charges against Mr. Jones are shocking to his mother and family,” said Jones’ lawyer. “The allegations are completely inconsistent with the life he has lived. He is a young man without any history of criminal conduct or violence.”
“At this stage we are acutely concerned with his mental health and are working to address his needs. We have confidence that at the end it will be clear that Mr. Jones never intended to harm or threaten anyone,” the statement concludes.
Jones is set to appear in court on March 18. His lawyer told NBC News he intends to have Jones psychologically evaluated for his competency to stand trial.
A licensed clinical social worker at the Virginia jailhouse where Jones is being held said he is on suicide watch but requires hospital-level care for “his altered mental status that appears to be associated with psychiatric illness.”
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